Strangers of Glory: Contingency
by A. Mitsuni
Summary: Every year, to honor the legendary Five Heroic Swordsman of the past, a Free-for-All Tournament is held in the biggest modernized hub in the land. But as two rival battle schools prepare for the upcoming competition, malevolence lurks within the shadows, ready to strike. Can the city be saved? [Modern High School AU]
1. Chapter One: Resfeber

**Chapter One: **Resfeber

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><p><strong>Resfeber<strong>: (Swedish) (n.) _the restless race of the traveler's heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together._

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><p><em>Legend says that when the sky and stars above were as young as the lands and oceans below, violence and bloodshed broke out among the fractured, war torn kingdoms. Men of the same kind fought against each other in a seemingly endless conflict. Friends pitted against friends, brothers against brothers; only the hope of honor, masking the lust for power, fueled each warrior and each ruler. <em>

_When the prospect of peace was dwindling at near extinction, a dark mage, with only malice and hatred in his heart, summoned what would be known as Pandora's Box and unleashing a doomed future upon the land. Even the most mightiest mercenaries were no match against these horrific beasts, who invaded the vast land and feasted upon the young and innocent. _

_At last, when all hope seemed lost, all the warring kingdoms decided once and for all to push aside their differences unite as one to bring together their strongest and most heroic champion to bring down these monsters. For each kingdom had birthed a mighty weapon, forged with the peoples' hope and will for a future, and only the most courageous and pure hero could possess the power to wield such a weapon. These heroes, united together with their people's determination and strength by their side, were able to seal away these creatures of darkness and restore good across the land. _

_Good had triumphed over evil, and the now saved Earthanian kingdoms agreed begin talks of peace and future alliances. And yet...when it came time to honor the heroes who so heroically prevented an oncoming apocalypse, there was no one to be found. _

_The brave swordsmen and the villainous mage simply vanished without a trace, as no record shown what had became of legendary heroes and foe. In fact...no one knows what happened at the last battle or when and where it took place. Some folks began to doubt if the climactic showdown even happened._

_While they may have been forgotten over the centuries, their tale of heroism lives on in the present, and even few believed that destiny will one day bring the mage and the swordsmen together for one final battle. _

* * *

><p>"Bedding...and...sheets...there! All done!"<p>

The brunette put down the black marker and let out a contented sigh after marking up the side of a cardboard box. She took a moment to look around herself, only to realize that with all of her belongings packed up and in the moving truck, her now empty bedroom seemed much bigger.

"Daisy!" a voice rang from outside the hall. "Are you still using your black sharpie? I just have...a few more boxes to label, and mine just died!"

"Sure thing!" After getting up and stretching her stiff muscles, Daisy took the last box in her room under one arm and pocketed the marker before proceeding out of the room. The brown-haired princess had dreaded all summer of the day she needed to up her entire bedroom for the new school year, but after a near eight grueling hours of unfolding boxes, reorganizing her wardrobe, shuffling around her personal items, and untangling half a dozen rolls of shipping tape, Daisy felt a wave of relief and accomplishment after finishing the near impossible job.

Speaking of cousin...

"Peach?" Daisy peered into the lavender-tiled bathroom down the hall but no luck. She could have sworn she heard Peach in here.

"I'm over here...!" Her cousin's voice echoed again, this time from the bottom floor. Daisy looked down below and saw Peach on the floor, surrounded by a few half-full boxes, stacks of leftover cardboard, and newspaper scraps. Her lone dried up marker was discarded across the floor.

"Here, throw it," Peach opened her palm without looking up, then grinned when she caught it. "Thanks."

"Almost done?" Daisy set down her box and leaned against the wooden banister. "I wanna get dinner after we lock up the truck for the night."

"Ah, hmmm..." Peach was caught mid-thought while taping shut a box. "I just have these last few dishes to box up, and I think I finish it all up in a few."

She looks up again. "Are you really hungry right now?"

"I am, but I can wait," Daisy began making her way down the spiral staircase. "Here, let me help. It'll make things faster."

"Thank you," Peach, grateful for the extra hand, tossed Daisy the nearest tape gun and scooted an opened box with her foot. "We can stop by Starbeans Café afterwards for a bite. How does that sound?" (1)

Daisy nodded to her suggestion. "Whenever I pack stuff, I always forget how much crap I have," she half-joked before taking a seat on the floor with Peach. The blonde, still wrapping glassware with paper, giggled and nodded in agreement.

Soon enough comfortable quietness eased between the two as they stuffed and packed away the last of their dishes and utensils, crinkling newspaper and squeaky tape guns faded in and out.

The last few years, Daisy spent her summer vacations with Peach and her family while her parents spent their summer traveling to negotiate business on the behalf of the Sarasa-land Principality. But unlike the last few years of moving back to her home to be privately tutored, Daisy was now officially accepted by the Iwata Academy this fall, as her last bit of paperwork finally turned in last month. The prospect of attending a major school for the first time in the big city was both exciting and intimidating for Daisy, but knowing that her dear cousins would be there to help her out eased her troubles.

The ruling king and queen of Mushroom Kingdom have been gone since last month to attend to city council matters, and Peach's older sister, Rose, had already moved back in their shared duplex at school last weekend. This had left the two princesses alone at the family vacation beach house for the final bit of summer with Peach's loyal servant, Toad, checking on them every now and then. While Peach and Daisy's living arrangement was neither lonely nor troublesome, it was quite boring and restless to live in such a spacious house together (much too big for only two people, as noted by Daisy) with summer dwindling by the last weeks of August.

The day they both finally began packing their things for the new school year was still a daunting task, but to Peach, it served as a refreshing change in pace to their mundane living.

"...and...there! All done!" the blonde one rose to her feet and wiped her brow. "The last box is ready to go. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Pfft, you're tellin' me," Daisy grumbled and wiped her hands on her jeans with a sigh. "We got to load all these up before we go. _And then tomorrow,_ we'll have to _drive_ all the way over _and then _unpack everythin _-_"

"Shush you," Peach smiled and playfully poked Daisy on the cheek, instantly breaking her train of thought.

"First off, you're not even driving, Toad is! Second, we'll worry all about that when we get to it," Peach laughs with her hands on her hips. "For now, let's celebrate this victory with dinner, my treat."

Daisy's stomach, to her relief, silently agreed. "Okay." After all, the thought of food and the giddiness of a blossoming adventure to the big city cured her grumpy mood.

* * *

><p>A hot salted caramel mocha, served on baby blue porcelain tea set and cinnamon shortbread cookies on the side.<p>

Small hints of caramel syrup and roasted chuckle beans lightly tapped at her nose. (2) Rose slowly breathed in the aroma before admiring the presentation and handiwork of her drink. And she of all people was not one to disregard the artistic handiwork it takes to make a fine cup of espresso. Even the latte foam was smooth as silk without a single flaw in sight.

The soothing jazz on the radio blended with footsteps on wooden floor and the blur of casual conversations at every table. Bits of the afternoon news report blared in and out of the lobby like a disjointed pattern.

_" - and Watch, a longtime veteran of the main tournament, was last seen…" _

Nonetheless, the chaotic, but relaxing atmosphere did not disturb Rose from enjoying her freshly brewed coffee after an afternoon read by the fireplace. Classes didn't begin for another week, but Rose wanted to make sure to jump start her textbook reading for Advanced Astronomy class before then.

_'There's no need to rush for now…'_ Rose heard a faint, soft voice underneath the table.

Rose glanced under the table to find her golden furred cat, Luma, now awake after a small nap by her feet. Luma's paws on Rose's lap were definitely meant play time now and study later. And with a smile, Rose set her porcelain teacup down and lifted Luma into her arms. She had gotten quite through her reading, so she could afford taking a small break.

Her textbook closed and Luma occupying her lap, Rose gazed out the window and noticed it was unseasonably cool and rainy for August. The city folk outside the coffee shop quickly scurried underneath any nearby shelter from the downpour. Those luckily prepared with an umbrella leisurely made their way down the sidewalk and avoided puddles pooling by the curb. Large drops of rain trailed down the cafe window sill.

_" - the press release by the Chief Director confirms the victim missing…"_

Although Rose had enjoyed rainy days, she began to miss the sunny, hot weather back at the beach house. She began to wonder what the girls were up to. The elder princess smirked, imagining Peach and Daisy soaking up the last drop of summer before packing up the moving truck. She pictured Daisy would whining about all the hard work while Peach teased her younger cousin by sticking tape on the back of her head.

_" - as told by investigators, there seems to be no physical evidence of a struggle…"_

But now she remembers that her little girls aren't so little anymore. It was hard for her to believe that her younger sister and cousin were going to be with her at the Academy this year. And that this year…was her last year before graduation.

Perhaps…now it was time...

_" - city's police department is still ongoing the investigation..." _

_'No.'_ Rose shook her head to firmly ground her resolve. No matter, the girls were still young and innocent. There was still time left.

_'A little longer. Not yet.'_

* * *

><p>"Here ya' go kid, Fils-Aime. Dat'll be-a 26 gold, flat."<p>

The taxi cab came to a screeching halt next to the curb, which would have sent the passenger flying into the dashboard if it wasn't for his seat belt. He quickly undid his seat buckle and reached into his pocket to fish out his change.

"Thanks," the man in the back seat murmured under his hooded sweater. Unlike the mustached driver, he wanted to keep his manners in check for first impressions.

"Don't let the door hit ya' on your way out. Now scram!" The stout driver huffed over the loud 90's grunge radio and gruffly snatched up the gold. His retort fell on deaf ears, as the passenger was already out of the cab and taking his luggage out of the trunk. Not wasting a second after he shut the trunk, the taxi barreled forward back onto the street, nearly running over a stray black cat on the sidewalk and leaving the poor man stranded in a cloud of smoke and fumes.

The stranger, shortly after clearing out his lungs, decided not bothering to give the disgruntled driver another thought and turned around to face the school gates. Once passed the brick wall and gated entrance, the campus grounds gave way to the wide and lush field and school buildings on all sides, some baring an archaic resemblance and others were refreshingly remodeled. He mentally noted to take a better look at the buildings and where his classes were during the campus tour.

The weather had slowed down to a gentle sprinkle with the sun peeking through the clouds; heavy smell of rain still lingered in the air. He glanced through the open gates to see a crowd of new students filing down the stone pathway due north, some whom began sneaking past the shrubbery and cutting through the grassy lawn and sparsely arranged trees. At the centre of the rock intersecting paths laid a marble fountain with spherical shape split in four sections as the centerpiece, clear water spewing from the top. (3)

At last, merely a few feet ahead of him was a large steel-hardened sign engraved with only one thing.

**"Fils-Aime Battalion School: Official Tournament Training School & Combat Facility." **

The man grinned underneath his hood and readjusted the strap of his drawstring bag on his shoulder, drinking in the sight of what was the new chapter in his life. Now realizing that there were no longer any obstacles in his way, figuratively and literally, the hooded athlete hurried down the stone path and followed the pack of students down towards registration at the dormitory buildings.

He vaguely heard someone sarcastically shout, "Nice sweater!" from a distance, but took no heed. Whenever there was a goal or objective in mind, he completely zones out and nearly blocks out everything else. For today, his main priority was getting to the student commons to get signed into his dorm room and unpacking his things before evening settled in. He did have a few hours to spare as he got to the school campus earlier than expected, but there was still getting through the large mass of new students now crowding in the lobby area.

The corners of his mouth twitched upwards as a thought crossed his mind. Hopefully, if he had some time left, he could try and hunt down a _certain_ someone he was looking forward to reunite with again. After all, it has been a couple months since...

"I can help whoever's next in line!"

His thoughts were quickly interrupted when a high pitched voice called him over at the self-made registration booth. Various clipboards, pens, and school sponsored lanyards littered the tops of the fold-out tables. Behind one sat a perky, blonde girl in curly pigtails who enthusiastically waved him over. She, similarly to the other orientation leaders, wore a bright blue t-shirt that spelled out the school's name and logo on the front and a "LOST OR CONFUSED? I CAN HELP!" in bold large print on the back.

"Omigosh, I _love_ your sweatshirt," she half-gasped, half-squealed at high pitch. "Pink is my favorite color! Well, next to yellow, of course."

"Erm - "

"Oh, right! Ugh, how silly of me! I almost forgot to introduce myself!" She stood up straight and cleared her throat before eagerly shaking the hand in front of her. "I'm Lissa of Ylisse, and if I can get a name from you, I'll getcha' all signed in and ready to go!"

He took down his hood with his hands wrapped in athletic tape to reveal a journey-worn face and cropped, jet black hair.

"Name's Mac. Little Mac."

* * *

><p>Marth turned the key in the lock before pushing open the glass door with his back. His hands were full with a small box full of brand new notepads, pencils, pens, and various supplies for the new student government office, as the newly elected student president took it upon himself to move all the old school supplies since the other members of government were still on vacation. Rose had lent an extra hand with the moving earlier this morning, but shortly left campus after lunch to study.<p>

After setting down the last package of printer paper by the copying machine, he let out a contented sigh and leaned against the edge of said table with his back to the door. Fortunately for him, school maintenance had already moved the old office desks, chairs, bookshelves, and various pieces of furniture and potted houseplants. And an added bonus, their old oval oak conference table was replaced with a new, sleeker cherry-wood one during the summer.

"I guess that's that for tonight," he murmured to himself.

Marth glanced out at the large window panes that lined the left side of the office. The view of the Iwata campus below glistened as the sunset was over behind the trees outside and the afternoon grey skies blew towards the east. Today had quite the peculiar weather, he thought to himself before fiddling with the wobbling back-end of an office chair. Marth was very grateful for the headmaster's courteous donation of a new table, but if he were to be truthful only to himself, he would have preferred replacing the worn-down chairs instead. But he didn't dwell on it for long, as he didn't feel he had any more right to complain about the kind gesture.

After going through his mental checklist, he was quite pleased with getting through as many errands as he could, but there was still work to be done before the start of the school year. In fact, he still needed to tackle his welcoming speech for freshman orientation week tonight and figure this year's agenda and goals by the first week of school.

But while most other students who would've caved under pressure, Marth felt a sense of exhilaration and pride under such demands. As cheesy as it sounded, he couldn't help but feel a brimming gaiety for the new school year fill his chest. The Altean lived for and thrived on taking on leadership and the feeling of others' looking up to him. A perfect fit for this year's student body president, as many of his friends would say.

After all, those were the characteristics he strove for as future king of the United Archanea.

"This is it, huh?"

There was slight whine of the glass door opening and Marth whirled around only to immediately smile upon seeing school secretary. "Zelda!"

He hopped to his feet and gave his friend a quick hug. "It's been so long! How was your summer? I...thought you weren't arriving until next week?"

"Hyrule is...well..." Zelda gave a mirthful smile and shrugged. "I love my home and my parents, but I think we both mutually agreed it was time for me to come back here."

Marth, curious at what she meant, decided to keep it to himself when she changed the subject.

"Huh...it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be," the honey blonde paused to get a good look around the new layout of the room. She wiped the tabletop with her fingers and gazed on the white washed walls. Most of the furniture had been put in their proper places, but some of the frames of typical stock photography leaned against the walls, waiting to be hung up later this week.

"We'll probably have to figure out something to do with that big blank spot next to the white board..."

"Any ideas?" Marth, arms crossed, leaned against the wall.

"Not yet, but me and Peach'll think of somethi - " Zelda paused when she stumbled upon an open box of rolled up posters on the table. After a quick unravel, she gave Marth a bemused look.

"...really?"

Marth couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, so I found all those all in storage and I thought they were really hilarious. Apparently they haven't been used in years and, uh..." he unrolled one of the motivational posters out that read 'Confidence!' on the front with a cartoon dog on the front giving a thumbs up. "I can see why now."

"Oh...my Gods," Zelda had to keep herself from laughing out loud in when she pulled up another poster, but this time with small child with his arms flexed and in large letters read 'Child Obesity!' on top. "We _have_ to have this in your office. No exceptions."

"No!" Marth's horrified face made Zelda burst out. "Oh hey, speaking of which, you haven't seen it yet, have you? Come over!"

He quickly led the Hylian back to the side room on the left side of the doorway. His own office itself was much smaller than the conference room, but was still roomier in comparison to the previous presidential office. After switching on the light, there laid a modern black desk with a green glass lamp and a few small boxes on top. Zelda's eyes immediately latched onto the new leather chair behind the desk.

"_You_ got a new chair but we don't?" she asked, taking the opportunity to sit and feel it out.

"No, no," Marth assured. "I actually had to bring this one from home. No way would the school give me this great of a chair. Not in my lifetime at least."

Navy blue curtains hung low on the windows, matching the rug underneath his desk. Marth reminded himself that he needed to thank Elice for giving his office a little more of a homey touch. (4) Aside from the mounted shelves that held a few of his personal trinkets and awards, the walls were still empty. He was hoping to install a small corkboard for notes and reminders today, but the project will have to be pushed back to the morning.

"Of course," she rolled her eyes teasingly. "I shouldn't have been surprised to see Mister Busy-body over here before orientation. I hope you were at least able to relax during break."

"Actually...I was able to go on a camping with Elice and my parents back in July," he recalled fondly and leaned on the doorway. "Was really surprised that they got time off from their never-ending schedule. What about you?"

"Hm..." Zelda looked up to the ceiling in thought. "Got to travel around smaller villages in the south and got to meet with our people. It's always an eye-opener when I go out to the country and think how different life is compared to the city. It's always more peaceful and relaxing..."

She sighed and looked down at her hands, choosing her words carefully. "My...parents keep bringing up talks about opening a trade port with the Gerudo Territory but I...I'm not so sure about that..." (5)

Marth frowned, not sure whether or not she would want to hear his input. He knew Zelda was merely muting her true opinion, and having known her family and other royal families for many years, it was always tough to hear when trouble brewed in one's home kingdom.

Before he could say anything, a buzzing vibration came from his back pocket, alerting the two. The blue-haired teen checked his smart phone to see an incoming call from, unexpectedly, his childhood friend Roy.

"Ah..."

"I actually need to get going," Zelda took that as her cue to leave. She got up from the room and grabbed her bag she set down next to the conference table. "I got lots of unpacking to get through today and was only going to stop by to check the new office real quick."

"Oh, uh," he called out to Zelda before she headed out the door. "If you're here already, I still need to meet with you sometime this week to discuss freshman orientation and our schedule for September. Are you free tomorrow?"

"I should be all settled in by tomorrow morning. I'll send you a text - I'm at my old place down in Blather's hall again, so you know where to go." (6)

And with that, she was gone.

It took a second for Marth to realize that his phone was still ringing, which he managed to answer the call before it went to his voice mail.

"Hello?" He grabbed his school blazer and lanyard from the table before shutting the light and locking up the office. "...Roy? Is that you? ...hey man, how have you been...? I know, I know, sorry I haven't called in a while, been real busy at Iwata since last week..."

His lone footsteps faded down the hall, the echo lingering.

"Yeah...okay...you got good news? What's up…?"

Marth didn't notice the growing shadow that was looming behind him in the distance.

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><p>Pure darkness.<p>

Not even a shred of light could pierce the empty void. There was nothing except a dark blackness everywhere, consuming at every corner and every spot. No solid ground below or sky above. Just sheer pitch black night.

A figure stands at the centerfold. A humanoid of a luminescent tinge, dwarfed by the sheer size of the surrounding emptiness.

There he stood in silence.

Waiting.

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><p><strong>To be continued… <strong>

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><p><strong><span>Author's Note: <span>**

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my story! The first chapter is a bit long but I'm hoping the next few will be a little shorter (no promises though!) I've had this idea for an SSB fiction for a while now and finally decided to just go do it, haha. By the way, that 'Child Obesity!' poster actually exists! I've seen it on the window of a local karate dojo – no joke!

I won't reveal much of the story just yet, but I'll give some brief information of the setting: There are various kingdoms and continents on the given planet, Earthania, and the biggest modern city-state, Nintendo-Land, is a neutral global center where kings, lords, and leaders can peacefully negotiate and handle business matters. This city also serves as a bustling hub, and home to the internationally renowned tournament, "Super Smash Brothers Fighting Tournament," held every year. Among many of the battle schools that train their best and brightest competitors, two of the well known schools in the city are **Fils-Aime Battalion School** and **Iwata Academy of Special Arts**.

Here, we'll see the many adventures students will undergo before the big tournament, all while _someone_ or _something_ is biding their time. Who is this mysterious being and what are their intentions? Why is Rosalina known as Rose instead? What is Roy up to? We'll just have to wait and see!

This is a Modern Day AU, with a hybrid High School/University twist. I have a main cast in mind, but I'll try to include as many cameos of different smash characters - there are a LOT after all! I will include _all_ characters from _all _the Smash games, including ones that aren't in the SSB4 (e.g. Roy, Solid Snake, Ice Climbers, etc.), as well as a select few side characters from various games. Special mention to _BabyGurl278_, whose fiction trilogy, "Power of the Elements" (which is sadly discontinued) has inspired me to write my own story.

There will be pairings, but I will reveal them in time – romance is part of the story, but I'll try not to focus so much on that aspect. I did numerous amounts of research on game lore and tried my best to keep everyone in-character, as their game lore impacts the story and make up the world they live in now. Of course, I'm not infallible (and neither are the wikis I use), so if there is a mistake, let me know?

I'd love to have a steady schedule of updates but again, busy busy life happens so we'll see what I can do. For now, I'll try for at least updating once a month and keep you posted for any changes.

This story is the first installment to a trilogy I had in mind, but it depends how things go. The first 2-3 chapters will act as a **pilot** – if enough people like my story and want me to continue, I will. But if it's clear that there is no interest or if my story is badly received (which is okay!), I will simply discontinue my story and delete my account. This is sort of an experiment for me, so we'll see how things go from now on.

As a new writer, I'd love to hear some feedback! If you want me to keep writing, click that review button and let me know!

- **A. Mitsuni**

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><p><span><strong>Index:<strong>  
><span>

(1) The Starbeans Café is a coffee house in _Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ owned by Professor E. Gadd. The name is based off of the real life Starbucks, and so is the business. There are many Starbeans Cafés all over the world, serving their brand name coffee and baked goods.

(2) Chuckle beans are one of the coffee beans used in Starbeans Café. 25 chuckle beans boosts speed by 4.

(3) Sculpture is modeled after the Super Smash Brother's icon, the Smash Ball.

(4) Elice is Marth's older sister and ally from _Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi_, _Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem_, and the remakes. In Nintendo-Land city, she serves as an assistant headmaster and can substitute the role if the headmaster is absent.

(5) The Gerudo tribe is a race of humans in the _Legend of Zelda_ franchise. Due to a biological quirk, the race consists almost solely of females. A single male Gerudo is born into the tribe every hundred years, which happens to be Ganondorf, the only male Gerudo to appear in the games.

(6) Blathers is the curator for the museum from _Animal Crossing_ series. In Nintendo-Land city, Blathers is honored due to his many academic contributions to the Iwata Academy, thus naming a branch of student duplexes after himself. By tradition, other notable villagers who also contributed to Iwata or Fils-Aime have school buildings named after them.

**EDIT: **Included index notes. Fixed wording. Formatting.


	2. Chapter Two: Convivencia

**Chapter Two:** Convivencia

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><p><strong>Convivencia:<strong> (Portuguese) (n.) _"living together" in the sense of living or working closely with other people with whom you share feelings, desires, or a common purpose._

* * *

><p><em>"The head of the Justice Force is now releasing a statement warning civilians to avoid being out alone at night -"<em>

The news report was suddenly cut short, as Samus reached for the remote and shut the TV off. Only the sound of urban life and mild traffic outside her window could be heard in her small studio. The rain stopped and the sun was barely cracking through the clouds.

The blonde sighed and tucked her knees under her chin. Her long hair was propped on top of a towel on her shoulders, as it was still damp from the shower she took a few minutes ago. The air conditioning in her living room was cool enough to prick at her pale skin, but she ignored the chill crawling up her arms.

"Hmm..." she murmured softly to herself. But instead of easing into the trap of melancholy or laziness, she sat up straight and rested her hands in her lap, legs crossed and mind at ease.

Her thoughts started to slow down; all while she began isolate herself from the outside world. Whenever Samus got the chance, she mediated alone and let herself be one with the quietness. She controlled her breathing and steadied her pace. She took it upon herself to follow Trainer's advice and follow through in relaxation exercises.

Deep breathe in. Breathe out.

Eyes closed.

Alone.

Focused.

In.

And out.

_Silence. _

**"****Bap...bap...bap-bap-bap-bap...!" **(1)

The sound of a familiar 8-bit jingle tore through the air like paper, abruptly halting Samus's meditation. She softly groaned soon after fluttering her eyes open before resigning her afternoon meditation for today. She reached for her phone on the coffee table and after thumbing through her notifications, she saw a new snapchat message open up.

_'__Over at Brewster's, don't be such a loner and come over already!'_ (2)

Captain Falcon, a tall, muscular man in a red helmet with a solid visor, was at the front of the selfie while grinning and holding up a pint of frothy beer. Behind him on a bar stool sat a slightly older man, Solid Snake, who wore a five o'clock shadow with his brown headband and his blueish-gray tight suit. He was nursing what appeared to be a chilled bottle of beer with his meal and sent the camera, or specifically the one taking the photo, a disgruntled look. Just from casual observation, the two looked like they just finished a lengthy mission before getting dinner, as both men still wore their official black Justice Force vests with their uniform looking freshly worn.

She took a moment to view the picture before allowing the auto-deletion. At first glance, the lone bounty hunter was very much one keen to keep her distance from everyone and was content living out on her own. Many picked up that she had trouble socializing or interacting with others, but Samus was not one to get hung up on those sort of issues. And yet somehow, two unlikely people – one of whom is the polar-opposite of Samus in terms of personality – managed to win over her respect and trust. Even after Falcon and Snake's graduation from Fils-Aime and their employment to the city's Justice Force soon after, the trio still managed to keep in touch.

While Samus appreciated her two friends looking out for her and inviting her for dinner, they also mutually knew that she needed time and space alone. Captain Falcon, as boisterous and relentless he is, knew when to back off. Snake, on the other hand, understood Samus's silent nature and accepted whatever choice she made without argument.

For now, she decided to decline their invite to dinner – even after constant training and sparring sessions during the summer, she still wasn't strong enough to achieve her true goal, and this year she did not want to grow complacent. Sam knew that if she left the invitation unanswered, her good friends would understand, but the better side of her decided to send out a text to let them know.

_'__Sorry, next time.' _

* * *

><p>"...is Little your first name?" Little Mac inwardly sweat dropped as Lissa looked puzzled behind the clipboard.<p>

"Just look up Mac."

Lissa scanned the first few pages, murmuring to herself. "Karissa...Kirby...Lara...Link...Meta Kni - oop, wait...here it is!" She quickly check-marked next to his name before gathering a packet of paper and clipping it to a clipboard. (3)

"We just got a few waivers and disclosures we need you to sign real quick…" the blonde pointed at various spots on each sheet. "…here, here, and here before I give you your stuff. Oh, and write your jacket size here, too."

Once Little Mac signed and cleared all the forms, Lissa quickly took back the paperwork and shuffled into the back room behind the table. No sooner than when she left, Lissa returned with a thick plastic-wrapped package with what appeared to be a black jacket folded inside, along with a few things underneath it.

"Here is your new school uniform. You get your first set of three now, and an extra two sent to your dorm by the new semester," she explained. "If you need any extras, you can order some from the Student Store, but you'll have to pay it with your own gold."

"And on the back," she flips the pack over to point to the other items inside. "Is a complimentary lanyard, your lapel pin, your room card key, a map of the campus, and a schedule for Freshmen Orientation. And this thingy over here," pointing at the label on top. "Is your assigned dorm building and room number."

She handed over the packet back to Little Mac before momentarily glancing down at a note card in her hand and reading aloud.

"This concludes your sign in and registration. We hope your long travels had – er, have been well and your welcome well received," Little Mac looked on amused at her somewhat flattened voice. "Fils-Aime Battle School applauds you for your valiant decision to join us this year. Along with your school jacket, you have – blah, blah, blah, I already went over that..."

The energetic blonde skimmed over the rest of the note card to look for anything else she missed.

"Oh! Don't forget, there is a barbeque out by the soccer field at 7," Lissa looked up and cheekily poked at boxer's chest. "You should come tonight! I'll be there, just so you know."

"Uh...I'll try," Little Mac sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Truth be told, he was going to skip the rest of the orientation events tonight as he had something else to do in mind. Nonetheless, he didn't want to be rude.

"Oh, by the way, do you know where the Wolfgang Dorm Building is?" Lissa caught Mac's arm before he turned to leave. "I just want to make sure you know how to get to your room before you go."

"Ah, it's fine, I think I can figure it out from here..."

"Nonsense!" she pushed on and didn't hesitate to firmly grab his wrist, despite Little Mac's silent protests. "Technically, I can't leave my post here in the lobby, but I know exactly who can get you there!"

The two cut through the lines and crowded parts of the lobby with Lissa's curled pigtails bobbing up and down. Soon enough, she had led him to another table off to the side in an empty corner. Behind the bare booth was a snoozing orientation volunteer with his chair leaning back, his feet propped up on top and his long sword secured on his lap.

Even though he was sitting, Little Mac could tell that the swordsman was much taller than himself. The small scars left on his arms and parts of his face were a good indication that the man was quite the experienced fighter.

"Lon'qu!" Lissa sang out excitedly. (4)

No response. Not even a slight hitch of breath.

"Lon'qu!" she said more loudly and closer to him, but the sleeping man was yet to be woken. While most others would have left the napping man alone by that point, Lissa was not one to back down.

She impulsively grabbed a paper brochure lying nearby, rolled it up, and quickly swatted Lon'qu on the face.

"Wake up, mister!"

Lon'qu was startled awake, then instantly flinched at how close she was standing next to him.

"G-guh…!" His surprised reaction caused him to nearly fall out of his chair and drop his weapon on to the ground. Little Mac bit his lip and turned away, trying his best cover his laugh by coughing, but Lissa didn't bother hiding her giggles at his outburst.

"Don't...touch me," he spoke lowly as his face heated in frustration. Lissa, on the other hand, put up a brave front and tried her best to not look phased.

"Take him to Wolfgang Building," she demanded with her hands on her hips, before quickly adding, "...please."

Lon'qu turned to look at Little Mac, who gave him a helpless shrug, then turned back to Lissa.

"I'm on break."

"You've been on break the last hour," Lissa whined and stomped her foot impatiently. "And I can't leave until 5:30! C'mon, you're not even being super nice and welcoming to the new students...! Please? Pretty please...?"

"..."

Lon'qu kept his blank stare as Lissa put on her best puppy eyes and quivering pout. Soon enough, the dark haired volunteer gave a resigned sigh and picked up his scabbard.

"...fine," he grunted, motioning Little Mac to follow him. Mac nodded and grabbed the rest of his luggage.

"Yes!" Lissa pumped her fist in victory. The blonde excitedly waved the two boys off before running back to her table. "Thanks Lon'qu! You're the best! Oh! And it was nice meeting you, Little Mac!"

* * *

><p>By the time the two left the building, the sun was set low on the horizon with an hour or so left of daylight. The skies were much clearer than earlier, and students, both new and returning were now seen walking around campus enjoying the warmer weather. A few students laid out on the green with a book or tablet in hand, while a small group played a game of Frisbee on the other side of the field. Another group of girls gathered in front of the sculpture, excitedly reunited after a summer apart. Cars still filed in front of the Student Commons, as a few latecomers were just now arriving on campus for registration.<p>

"Erm...sorry about that," the boxer broke the silence between the duo a few minutes after leaving the lobby. "I told her she didn't need to, but she insisted."

"It's fine," Lon'qu waved it off. "Lissa would've bothered me to do some other trivial thing sooner or later."

Little Mac kept up with Lon'qu fast walking pace, despite the carrying his heavy gear and baggage. It didn't take much to notice that Lon'qu was not much of a talker.

"So..." Little Mac was unsure whether or not to keep carrying the conversation on. "What classes do you have this year?"

"I actually don't go here."

"Really?" That caught Little Mac off guard. If they weren't attending here, then...?

"Like me and Lissa, most of the orientation leaders and volunteers are actually from Iwata Academy."

"Iwata...?"

"Take it you're new to the city," Lon'qu continued. "Iwata Academy is one of the top battle schools in Nintendo-Land, on par with Fils-Aime. Your school requires all students to take a certain amount of missions in the city to graduate. Likewise, same deal with Iwata, except we do more volunteer hours and charity work instead of missions. Almost every year, Fils-Aime takes in volunteers from Iwata for orientation. This year, no different."

Little Mac paused to digest in the information. "How's Iwata any different than Fils-Aime?"

"Fils-Aime is much bigger and more dedicated to train competitors for the tournament while Iwata is smaller and tends to take in the wealthier aristocratic crowd. The academy focuses solely on educating members of royalty and future leaders from various continents so students are ready to take on the responsibility of running their people when ready, though they still do take in physical training and combat in account. "

"Are you...?"

"Not royalty," Lon'qu curtly answered. "I'm a bit of a special case, but that's a different story."

A long silence filled the air again, only this time Little Mac decided to end the conversation. He decided to take time to good view his surroundings and get familiar with the campus instead, mapping out what route would be good to take during his morning runs.

"We're here," Lon'qu finally announced after a few minutes of quiet walking. They stopped at the front of a rustic brick building, about three stories high and extended towards the back. At the front entrance were a set of stairs leading to two glass push doors. As the two got closer, they passed a wooden sign, showing the campus map and the community cork board. At a passing glance, Mac noticed that the board was filled with various advertisements and events from the summer.

"What's your room number?" Lon'qu asked him once inside the main lounge area. While the Wolfgang lounge was much smaller than the Student Commons lobby, it was a quaint comfortable area for those who inhabit the dorm building. There, a lone man in green napped on one of the old leather couches while a boy in a red shirt with the number '1' on it was on his phone by the windows. At the far right, two girls were chatting idly by the electric fireplace.

"Ah, C-32," Little Mac read aloud the stickered label after fumbling for his pack.

"C floor is the 3rd floor," Lon'qu pointed to the elevator and staircase to his left. "From there, finding your room should be fairly straight forward."

Mac nodded, then thanked him and clarified that he could handle it from here on out. Lon'qu took his word and left quickly, assuming only to continue his interrupted nap at Registration. Now that the newcomer was left to his own devices, he made his way up the elevator. Generally, he would take the stairs, but he was carrying his luggage for quite some time and decided to save some energy for today.

"Keep it open for me, please!"

Little Mac instinctively pushed back the elevator doors, causing them to reopen again. A short, spiky-haired boy in white rushed in, messenger bag on and a large box filled with personal items in his arms. One distinct characteristic Little Mac immediately picked up on was the white wings perched on his back.

"Thanks!" the brunette chirped. Mac tried not to stare, as it dawned on him that more than just humans will be attending this school. As he already got an eyeful of the student body when entering campus and realized how sheltered he was back at home. Although he spent the last year and a half competing in various boxing tournaments, this was the first time to see different beings during his travels. He noticed during his application process that Fils-Aime accepted applications outside of Earthania, though he had a hard time wrapping his head around attending school with supposed 'aliens' or other creatures of the sort.

"I'm Pit, by the way," the brown-haired boy offered his hand. "And your name?"

"Little Mac," he replied, taking it.

"It's nice to meet you," Pit beamed enthusiastically. "Looks like we'll be in the same dorm building. Exciting, huh?"

Once the elevator chimed and the doors reopened, Pit stepped out onto the 2nd floor hall. "I hope to see you around, Mac!"

Behind him, Little Mac saw a few of the newcomers moving in, most noticeably two beings shaped as short soft orbs with feet. The blue one with a silver mask on was carrying what looked like a large sack full of things while the pink one was precariously carrying what looked like a large cake slice into their dorm room. Another student that appeared to be wearing an astronaut helmet was getting helped into his room by small, colorful plant-like creatures.

_'__How strange...'_ he thought to himself.

He finally reached the top floor and got to his room on his immediate right. He was content of the fact that his room was close to the showers, making his mornings a bit easier. After rummaging for his card key and letting himself in, he was surprised to see the dorm room was a more spacious than he was expecting.

There was a bunk bed for two on his far left and two study desks to his far right. The window was at the back with the blinds raised up, letting in the afternoon sun. Next to the desks was the bathroom door with only a sink and toilet inside. To his immediate left and right were two closet spaces on opposite ends.

He let out a tired breath out before dropping his bags on the ground and sitting on the bottom bunk to rest. He didn't have many personal possessions, as he was on the move often and only brought things he needed. But, he did allow himself to carry an old guilty pleasure around with him. He fished himself a candy bar from his duffel bag before digging out his clothes and heading to his closet.

* * *

><p>"I fear to leave you here on your own again, Ike..."<p>

"Don't be so worried, Soren," the taller man clapped the mage's back reassuringly. The two stood in front of the Wolfgang building soon after being dropped off by the city transit. (5)

"I know, Ike," Soren sighed and turned to face his friend. "But I can't help but be concerned for your safety. I had to make sure you got to the campus in one piece. Gods know you hardly take care of yourself on your own..."

Instead of being stung by his friend's remark, Ike grinned and rubbed the back of his neck, an old habit he had yet to overcome. Others may have been turned off by his friend's bluntness, but Ike knew better. His friend cared for him deeply, he just had a different way of expressing it.

"Hah, thanks for the reminder," Ike gave a lighthearted smile. "Say, are you sure you and the others will be fine?"

"We'll make do with what we have," Soren simply replied. "The Greil Knights are strong, just like your father. We managed just fine last spring and we'll do fine now. And according to my reports, the Crimean borders have been surprisingly quiet as of late. We'll tread with caution."

"That's what I wanted to hear," Ike grinned and playfully punched Soren on the shoulder before heading towards the dorm building. "Keep me posted on everything, alright? Let everyone know I'll be visiting next month."

Unfortunately, the mage was not of strong stature and cringed at Ike's teasing blow.

"Yes...of course."

* * *

><p>Clothes and sweatshirts hung, textbooks shelved, boxing gear arranged, toiletries organized, and luggage stowed away.<p>

Little Mac gave a contented smirk after relieving most of his unpacking within a few hours. The only thing left to go through was the plastic packet given to him at registration. The clear packaging looked fairly thin for having three sets of school uniforms, but upon further inspection, each uniform jacket had been individually packaged and vacuumed sealed to conserve space. Placing the lanyard and packet of papers on the side, Mac looked at the small card stock box included.

After opening the box, a small pin of the American flag popped out onto the palm of his hand, along with a folded slip of paper. The paper served as a visual key, showing the various lapel pins available within the school. According to the key, his lapel pin symbolized his place of origin from the American Continent. Other than pins symbolizing one's hometown, there were other pins available for school sports and clubs, given upon joining the given team.

Moving onto the uniform sets, he opened one of the sealed packets before trying it on in front of the bathroom mirror. The official uniform was a simple black soft-shell hooded jacket, multifaceted under different types of cold weather. The jacket was a zip-down with zippered pockets on the side and a removable hood. The inside was lined with a thin faux fur lining for the cold weather, and on the front right side was an embroidered school symbol, the emblazoned "Smash Ball". (6)

Pertaining to the guidelines set by the school administration, Fils-Aime students were required to wear the school jacket during classes or school activities (with a few exceptions if the weather was too hot or humid to wear it), but students had the freedom to wear whatever they wanted underneath the jacket, as deemed appropriate for the classroom. Each newcomer to the school was given two soft-shell thick jackets, and one cotton zip-down hoodie assigned to wear during warm weather.

Taking a good look at the mirror, Little Mac gave a cheesy smile and thumbs up at his reflection after making sure his jacket fitted well. Right in the middle of making odd flexing poses at the reflection, the front door knob jerk caused him to stop his silly antics and look towards the doorway.

"Aw man, I was hoping for my own room like last semester..."

A blue-haired boy in blue and gold garb and a brown bag slung over his shoulder opened the door only to immediately put his hand to his mouth.

"Ahh, dammit. Sorry - that sounded way ruder that it was supposed to..."

Little Mac brushed the comment off and went over to greet his roommate. "Don't worry about it. Call me Little Mac."

The boy grinned and shook Mac's hand, happy to see that he didn't offend his new roommate upon his first impression. "Ike of the Great Greil Knights. Looks like we'll be here together for year."

Ike set his bags down and immediately made his way to the bunk beds. "Okay, first things first - top or bottom? Since you were here first, you get to choose."

"Ah...I'm fine with the bottom bunk – "

"Yes! Score!" Ike let out a loud whoop before throwing one of his smaller bags on the top bunk to claim it. "You rock, man."

Little Mac walked over to his desk to put away his jacket uniforms before he was stopped by Ike.

"Oh hey, I've got something for you..."

Ike reached into one of his leather bags and tossed a small plastic bag full of colorful hard candy, sealed with a yellow ribbon towards Mac.

"Erm – I never had a roommate my last semester, so I hope we get along. I'm pretty chill and I don't really have any, uh, crazy ground rules or anything, but if you ever have a problem with anything with me, just let me know," the young mercenary sheepishly rubbed his neck. "They're sweets from my home country, and wanted to give a welcoming gift in case I had a roommate this year. Hope it's not super gay or anything, I just like giving gifts to people, that's all."

"Thanks," Little Mac simply said with a nod before placing the sweets on his desk. Although he didn't say much, he loved sweet candies and was thankful to have a calm and kind roommate.

Both men yearned for friendship and to enjoy each others company, but actions were enough without words needed to be spoken.

Promptly moving towards the closet, a small bit of shiny gold sticking out of Ike's luggage struck Mac's eye. The boxer walked over and nudged one of his bags over with his foot to get a closer look, only to have a very large blade fall onto the hardwood floor in a resounding thud.

"Christ, that's huge! I mean – sorry."

Ike stifled a laugh, muttering what sounded like "that's what she said," before coming over and gripping his blade.

"It's alright. Ragnell has been through much worse than that. Probably should put this away before someone hurts themselves."

"Where'd you get something like that? I've never seen a sword that big before."

There was a brief pause before Ike looked up to respond. For a moment, sadness reflected in his eyes before he put on a small smile. Little Mac pretended he didn't see it.

"Well, it belonged to my father..."

* * *

><p>Nightfall.<p>

She hastily wiped away at her forehead when sweat dripped down her temple before almost tripping over a large root of a tree.

The runaway quickly caught herself and kept running, desperately gasping for air and constantly looking behind her. No weapons or tomes left, with her only option is to run and pray for some sliver of hope that death would not be so painful.

The forest was silent except for her footsteps grazing through the gnarled bushes and tree branches. Her whimpered breathing hitched when a gutteral boom roared behind her and echoed in the distance.

_'__Keep going...!'_

_'__Keep running...!'_

Her pace was now slowing down due to her fatigue, but she did not stop. Could not stop. She had to get away.

Eyes not yet adjust to the light, she couldn't make a clear path through the deep forest as she beat and scratched and tore up her body by the thorny thicket and dense brushwood. She furiously clawed at the tangled mess when some of her long hair got caught on some tousy branches.

She squinted her eyes and saw a field clearing up before her, but she could feel the nefarious beast was nearly breathing down her neck. She hoped to hold out a little longer but she knew in her heart she was delaying the inevitable.

_'__Don't stop, don't stop...!' _

Coward.

Liar.

Traitor.

Accept your damned fate.

She tried so hard to block the painful words out of her mind, so much so that she covered her ears. A burning sensation began to bore through her chest.

"A-augh...!"

A sharp edged rock was all it took to catch on her boot, causing her to tumble forward and slamming her head onto the hard ground. She didn't have the chance to catch her breath or even let out a scream, as she was instantly engulfed by a blinding white light.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span> **

Hello again! Thank you for reading the next chapter. I am **SO **sorry for the boring, slow pace! I realized after rereading my first few chapters that my story has a slow set-up. But those who are still lingering around, I hope to pick up the pace real soon and get to the more interesting stuff!

I feel a bit guilty because I'm so busy trying to introduce things while trying not to drown people in exposition. I didn't realize how Little Mac-centric this chapter was - not that it is a bad thing, haha! Next chapter will focus on the Iwata Students, so we'll get more Marth, Zelda, Peach, Rose(lina), and...Roy? We'll have to wait and see!

So far, I only have just one more chapter of introductions, and then we're diving into plot and the great SUPER SMASH tournament! Who is this mysterious girl running away? Who or what is chasing her? Tune in next time folks!

It's odd reading and writing about Ike – many writers like to write him as this big muscle head oaf or jerkass, but in his own game, he's actually super friendly and nice. Some Fire Emblem fans say that his quote "You get no mercy from me," is out-of-character, but to be fair, some taunts to other characters are OOC (Female Robin anyone?). When I met my first roommate in college, she gave me a big lollipop she got from Oregon, and I was so happy to have such a kind and wonderful roommate! That's why when I was writing Ike, I was like, "I could see him do that!"

* * *

><p><span>Reviewer Responses:<span>

**_"_****_Guest: _**_Question: are the character in the beginning gonna be_ _The main character?__"_

Thank you so much for enjoying my first chapter, it means a lot to me! I wasn't sure whether or not to let the story reveal who the main cast is and the pairings, so if you want me to list them in my next Author's Note and/or in my profile, let me know! But so far, Marth, Peach, Pitt, Roy, and Zelda are confirmed as part of the Main Cast. Wario, Samus, Ike, Little Mac are under the Main Side Characters, but will have moments where the story will focus on their arc and development.

For now, I'll reveal more later, but if you want to know now, I'll definitely post it up.

I hope to post at least every first Saturday, but if we're lucky, I may be able to post again this month! In the meantime, look out for the next chapter, **Geborgenheit. **

**- A. Mitsuni**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Index:<span> **

(1) Brinstar theme from _Metroid_ on the NES.

(2) Brewster is a character from the _Animal Crossing_ series who tends his café called "The Roost." In the Nintendo-Land city, he expanded his business and provides a full menu and bar as well.

(3) "Karissa the Destroyer" was a prank sponsored by Game Stop. During a Smash 4 demo, a 10-year old girl beats a few professional players, only later to reveal that another pro (KoreanDJ) was controlling her controller.

(4) Lon'qu and Lissa are two side characters from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_. Lissa is Chrom's little sister while Lon'qu is one of Chrom's allies. The former is of the cleric class and the latter of the myrmidon class.

(5) Soren is a mage and close ally to Ike from _Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance_ and _Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn_.

(6) Smash balls do exist in this universe, but they are a rare and mysterious natural phenomenon. When they appear, anyone can jump and hit the ball. Once the ball is broken, the person is consumed with an enormous amount of great energy and power for a small amount of time. The Fils-Aime Battalion uses the Smash Ball as its school symbol and dedicates itself to teach students to break their old selves and harness the unlimited power within, just as the legendary smash balls do in real life.

**EDIT: **Spelling error fixed. Missing word fixed. Certain wording fixed. Formatting, spelling, and extra information.


	3. Chapter Three: Geborgenheit

**Chapter Three: **Geborgenheit

* * *

><p><strong>Geborgenheit:<strong> (German) (n.) _to feel completely safe, like nothing could ever harm you; security, comfort, trust, satisfaction, acceptance, and love from others._

* * *

><p>A loud chime on the intercom went off, prompting the Iwata campus the end of the midmorning classes.<p>

"Have a good day! Don't forget to bring your packet for Wednesday's discussion!" Professor Frankly announced quickly to the class while wiping clean the white board for next period's class. (1)

Students began packing their bags and shuffling out of the classroom, the ends of their chairs screeching against the linoleum tile. Daisy stared at wonderment of how her teacher, a Goomba, was able to move the whiteboard eraser without any physical hands. Nonetheless, she shrugged and headed out the door, following the students who all were flowing out of their classrooms and gathering into the large hallway. Friends were meeting in small circles by the stairway and corridor as girls and boys both chatting and gossiping excitedly about a variety of things.

Daisy, on the other hand, looked on as she walked alone by herself. She had already met a few other newcomers during Freshmen Orientation, along with a few girls in her first class, but still felt somewhat estranged from everyone. Perhaps it had to do with her spending much of any free time with her cousins, Peach and Rose, than going out to meet new people.

'_It's alright,'_ the Sarasa-land heir assured herself. _'I don't have to meet people right away. School just started after all.'_

As much as she hated to admit it, even she – the more extroverted and energetic of the princess trio – was having troubles approaching people in such a strange new place. Being completely outside the Mushroom kingdom for the very first time, with only Peach and Rose as the only source of familiarity caused her to quickly attach and cling onto them for the first few days. She even skipped a few orientation mixers to hang out with her cousins in the duplex they all shared.

'_Besides, it's not that I_ can't_ make friends. I just don't need to at this moment. I'll do it later. When I feel like it.' _

Daisy let out a big yawn before adjusting the strap of her yellow-orange backpack and exiting out of the Clyde Building, perched on the east side of the campus. She missed her alarm this morning and would have overslept if Rose didn't wake her up ten minutes before class. Of course, it didn't help that the tomboy stayed up past midnight marathoning action flicks off of Netflix than going to sleep.

'_So much starting the school year on the right foot,'_ she sighed to herself, biting the nail on her pinky finger. A small breeze with a mild September chill blew past her.

"Daisy…!"

The brunette turned over to see Peach waving her over from the end of the concrete pathway besides the blossomed gardens at the center intersection. Her seeing her cousin had brightened her mood.

"Hey!"

"So! How was your first class?" Peach asked as the two walked down the hilly path, making their way towards the dining hall at the Sydney Building.

"It was alright," Daisy replied nonchalantly while adjusting her at her red mushroom lapel pin on her blazer. "Professor Frankly is rather…eccentric with his lectures."

"Oh yeah, that's him alright," Peach giggled in agreement. "I had him last year for Earthania History 101. A little bit of an oddball, but at least he's not super strict like Dr. Wiley. His classes are pretty solid, too."

The two girls began discussing their schedule for the day and the classes they signed up for. Iwata Academy allotted their classes to run in a block schedule during the weekdays, as 45-minute long classes were on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and 2-hour classes were on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This allowed students to have concentrated experiences on a variety of subjects without the burden of heavy homework loads, as well as letting school sports and programs to run smoothly during the week.

"Just curious," Peach, who led the way, took a short cut on a small dirt paved path through some shrubbery, "have you made any friends yet?"

"Erm...not really," Daisy admitted, looking down at the ground for a moment. "Haven't really talked to anyone yet."

"Hmm..."

Daisy waited for Peach's response, as she looked up in a thoughtful gaze before turning over with a cheeky smile on her face.

"You better make friends soon, or you'll end up being like an annoying clingy girlfriend to me and Rose."

"What!? Shut up!"

Peach laughed out loud as she got smacked in the back presumably by Daisy's backpack.

"Augh, wait, no! I was just kidding! Really...!"

"Jeez Louis, you're such a butt-face sometimes..."

"Real talk, though," Peach turned to face Daisy once they were walking side by side again. "We really want you to have a good time here. I know its a little hard being out here on your own, but we're here for you. I hope you don't feel that we're holding you back; you'll make friends in no time, especially once you start adjusted and feeling comfortable around here."

Daisy slowly processed what Peach said before responding. "You're right. I've been worrying a little too much 'bout how I should act around people here..."

She was then surprised by a side hug given by Peach. "Don't worry about it. I felt the same way when I was a freshman, but then I was able to make the friends I have now after I got used to being away from home. Oh! Speaking of, you'll get to meet them today for lunch, won't you?"

Daisy shrugged as both girls walked through the sliding glass doors and into the vast dining hall.

"If it's alright if I can join you, sure!"

Past the two automatic doors, the girls were led into large spacious area with rectangular tables lining the center in orderly straight rows. Towards the sides of the open room on the bottom floor were circular tables that could fit bigger groups of people. The entire left wall was lined with thick glass paneling, letting in the view of large pond and forest greenery at center of the campus. The old and elegant Gothic architecture peeked behind the flowering elements.

On the back corner of the right side was a large triangular stair case, leading up to the second level. While a few groups of students gathered by the stairs to eat or chat, there staircase was large enough to make a clear pathway to those who were going up or down. And up on the mezzanine floor were more circular dining tables, with one door to the far right leading to outdoor seating on the balcony, and another door, left of the stairway, leading to a sky bridge to the Student Common's building. Tucked away in the back corner was a petite Starbeans Café that brewed fresh coffee and baked goods daily.

Daisy followed close behind Peach, in where after finding an empty table on the second floor, she dropped off her bag and blazer and headed into the main dining hall for food. Past the lined tables in the hall was the entrance to the cafeteria, where students picked up their trays, plates, and silverware before filing in various lines for food.

At the left side of the entryway was the "Salad and Fruit" bar, where students could pick from a variety of organic vegetables and fruits, along with seasonings, toppings, and dressings. Past the salad bar was where hot soups and chowders were served, and further ahead was a morning "Breakfast" bar where students could fill up on grains, cereals, yogurt, and pastries at any time of the day. The two princesses grabbed a quick fruit bowl before heading towards the main entrée lines.

Through the salad and breakfast bar was the "Grill", where barbeque sandwiches, burgers, turkey tenders, and fries were readily available for pickup. Other foods served in the cafeteria were the "Classics", where many hot foods such as seafood, lean meats, and veggies were seasoned, cooked, and sautéed to perfection. Since Iwata Academy had a very diverse student body, this allowed cafeteria staff to serve a multitude of cultural dishes during the school year.

Next to classics was the "Deli" line, with an assortment of thin cut lunch meats, local cheeses, and freshly baked bread, could be customized and ordered. Beyond the classics and deli line was the "Pizza and Pasta" section; pizzas were traditionally baked in a brick wood-fired oven, along with Calzones and Stromboli. The pasta menu was served on flat stainless steel woks, offering different types of pastas and gluten-free options throughout the week.

Across the pasta section was the "Beverages" line, where plastic cups, fruit juices, and soda machines were placed. And near the exit by the cashiers was the "Grab-n-Go" section, where TV dinners, cold sandwiches and wraps, bottled drinks, and packaged produce were refrigerated to be quickly picked up and bought by students on the go.

After a few minutes waiting in queue, the blonde and brunette pair made their way back to their table after scanning their student cards at the cashier. (2) Daisy had already filled up her tray full of food, but forced herself to stay away from the enticing aroma from the "Cooking Mama's Sweets" dessert shoppe situated by the vending machines. (3) As much as she loved snacking on candies and cakes, she promised herself not to go overboard and gain weight on her first week at Iwata.

When their table was in sight, Daisy noticed two girls already seated at the table, who both greeted Peach as she set her tray down.

One was tall and slender, with long light almond hair trailing down her back and two long strands of side bangs laced in thin ivory ribbons. Her hair was smoothly slicked back behind a unique silver crown, which rested on the top of her hairline. As she casually looked down at her iPhone and poked at her chicken salad, she glanced up for only a second to address "hey" to Peach. Daisy slowly recognized her, as she was one of the members of student government who stood next to their school president during his dinner speech last evening.

The other, of much shorter height, waved eagerly at Peach and gestured her to sit next to her. She wore a cotton white headband and had light blonde hair pulled up in short curly pigtails.

"Everyone, this is my cousin, Daisy," Peach extended her arm to gently push Daisy forward towards the group. "Daisy, these are my friends Zelda and Lissa."

"It's so nice to meet you, Daisy!" Lissa was the first to jump up and enthusiastically grab Daisy's hand soon after she put down her tray on the table.

"Erm - same to you, too."

"Lissa, how did Fils-Aime orientation with Lon'qu go last Saturday?" Peach asked, sipping on her bottled soda pop.

"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you what happened! There's quite a few cuties in the new bunch this year..." The two began catching up on how their weekend went, with Lissa occasionally showing Peach a few photos on her Instagram. Daisy quietly sat back and listened to their conversations, unsure whether to join in or not.

"What about you, Zelly?" Lissa turned to her Hylian friend.

"...hmm?" Zelda looked up for a moment. "Sorry, I was checking my email - just making sure my professor got the essay I sent this morning."

While Peach asked her again what her plans were that evening, two more made their way to the table. One of whom Daisy easily knew was her older cousin Rose, who was carrying a silver tumbler with herbal tea and a small paper bag of mini sugar cookies from the café. The other was an unfamiliar face; a navy-haired boy who rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and his blazer tied to his waist. He, too, looked distinctly familiar from the last evening's dinner.

"Chrom?" Lissa quirked an eye towards her older brother. "Thought you'd be eating lunch with the Shepherds..."

"Nah, Sully and Stahl decided to take everyone off campus for barbeque," Chrom replied, popping a french fry in his mouth. "I'd go with them, but Marth asked me to come with him for the fundraiser committee meeting after lunch before our escort mission tomorrow." (4)

Soon enough, the table was filled with different sorts of conversations as a familiar, warm atmosphere surrounded the group of friends. Everyone, even the ever quiet Rose, joined the group conversation; friends catching up on each other after a summer apart, debating on current political issues, and bantering and teasing each other.

"Say, what do you guys think about the mayor's Early Bird Ordinance proposal?" (5)

"Uuugh, don't get Vaike started on that - he'll talk your ear off until the butt-crack of dawn." (6)

"_Ewww_, gross! You said butt-crack."

"Zelda, did you meet any new friends during the summer vacation?"

"Maybe if she gets a boyfriend, she'll actually be social during lunch for once, haha!"

"You know, you of all people shouldn't be telling me to get a boyfriend, Miss I-can't-decide-if-I-like-Lon'qu-or-not..."

"...hey!" The sound of a fork and plate clattering. "Shut your butt-hole mouth!"

"Wait, what about Lon'qu...?"

"Nothing! _Nothing, _Chrom. Zelda doesn't know what she's talking about."

"I don't know, Liz..."

"Peachy, as your dearest friend, SHUT UP."

Daisy, while politely smiling and nibbling at her seasoned pork chop, couldn't help but feel intimidated by all the other upperclassman and held back underneath Peach's shadow. As much as she loved her cousin, she yearned to make friends more easily and act naturally like Peach. To be able to ease her way into the conversation, joke around, and be her happy and cheerful self.

'_Don't be stupid, you just met these people.'_

All the way deep in herself, she felt was a deep, uncomfortable insecurity and sense of awkwardness. The Sarasa-land princess was feeling unsure whether the group was alienating her, or if she was the one alienating everyone. Was she being rude? Improper? The front she put before herself was faltering and it was making her feel fearful.

"Oh wow, I almost forgot!" Peach stopped munching at her fruit bowl for a moment. "I didn't introduce you Daisy yet."

"Chrom, this is my cousin, Daisy," Peach first pointed to Daisy, then to Chrom who was sitting across from her. "Daisy, this is Chrom. He's Lissa's older brother and the class vice-president, so you'll see him around a lot."

"Nice to meet you," Chrom reached over to firmly shake her hand and gave a friendly grin. "Hope your first day wasn't too tough."

Daisy took it and meekly smiled. "You too."

"Speaking of cousin..." Chrom sat back down and checked through his phone for any notifications or text messages with a furrowed brow. "He's late."

"Hmm, you're right," Zelda added looking at the mounted clock on the wall, which was a little past 12:30. "Marth is usually here by now, and I know his class has ended since 12."

"I'm sending him a text right now," Peach tapped at the screen of her Samsung Note. "...where...are...you...question mark, question mark, question mark..."

Peach giggled as she set her phone on camera mode after sending the text message. "Hey Lissa, look at me and look like your shrugging, like _'I don't know where you are...!'_"

"Uh, okay!" Lissa shrugged her shoulders and stuck out her tongue.

"You too, Chrom. I'm gonna spam his inbox until he replies!"

"Sure, why not..." Chrom, smirked to himself, shrugged and raised his eyebrows.

"Rose...!"

Rose gave an amused look before closing her eyes and posing a slight shrug of the shoulders.

"Daisy...!"

"Oh? Me?" Daisy squeaked and pointed to herself, as she was not expecting to be a part of the silly prank. "I – uh – okay!"

Daisy gave a quick shrug and an unsure smile to the camera.

"Wait, I don't think that was a good picture..."

"It's fine, it's fine! Zelda...?"

The Hylian royal gracefully turned to face Peach and, with a straight face, stuck her middle finger towards the camera.

"_Pfffttt...!"_

Chrom nearly choked on his drink as Peach had burst into a fit of giggles and took several shots.

"_Oh...MY GODS...!"_

Lissa guffawed out loud and slapped her hand on the table, a few snorts escaping from her (7). Zelda's face quickly broke into laughter, Rose had held her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing aloud, and Daisy simply sat there with eyes and mouth gaping wide open.

She was not expecting that.

She had not expected that.

Finally, as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders, she smiled and soon enough began to laugh.

She felt years of training and etiquette drift away, putting her mind and body at ease. No longer did she feel the need to keep up the tight façade of what she thought "royalty" was supposed to look like, or keep guessing what was acceptable and what was not. The most regarded upper classman of the school, of all people, were up here goofing off and having a fun time just like normal teenagers. For all one knows, maybe making friends wasn't so hard after all.

Peach's friends were more than just their status or standing in school.

They felt real. Genuine in fact.

"Oh gods, I can't wait until he sees that..." Chrom chuckled soon after he recovered from his coughing fit.

"I, uh…can't believe you did that," Daisy said once the laughter had died down. "I mean, not that it wasn't funny or anything..."

"No, I understand," Zelda waved it off. "Most people think I'm serious or mad all the time."

"Well, that's because it's true..." Lissa pouted at Zelda's direction.

"Okay, not all of us can afford moping around and flirting with boys," Zelda raised an eyebrow as she prodded Lissa back. "Some of us have reputations to uphold after all…"

"You know what I say to that boring stuff? _Plllllbbbttt…_!" Lissa simply crossed her arms before blowing a raspberry at Zelda. This time, everyone laughs at Lissa's antics, even including Zelda and Rose.

"By the way…" Peach turned over to Daisy. "We were going to go to Brewster's tonight for soda floats after classes are over. You want to join us?"

"Omigosh, you must come!" Lissa nodded eagerly. "You'll get to meet Maribelle and the others as well!" (8)

"Maribelle…?" Chrom looked over with a slight grimaced look on his face. "I think Daisy actually wants to have a good time tonight…"

"Don't be rude!" Lissa smacked her brother on the shoulder, albeit lightly. "She's not _that _bad! She just a bit uptight and hasn't warmed up to you yet!"

"After all these years?!" Chrom simply laughed it off, flowing along with everyone's warm smiles.

Daisy beamed and nodded, truly this time, to accept their evening invitation. Perhaps now there finally was a place with company wherein she felt that she belonged.

* * *

><p>Half-past noon and the bright, burning sun was still amidst clear blue skies, shining down through the windows and glass paned doors of every campus building. Unlike the dreary weekend, this Monday morning rose on sun-kissed temperatures without a cloud in sight. Many of the students were outside eating their lunches and soaking the last of summer sun on lengthy stretches of green grass.<p>

As such, this year's class president was just leaving the large campus library, passing by the solid bronze statues and trotting down the marble stairwell. He took a deep breath to enjoy the fresh air before heading towards the Sydney Building.

That is, right as he was nearly taken out by a powerful surprise tackle from behind.

The sheer shock of the attack practically sent Marth stumbling onto the concrete ground and into a large bush if he did not recover his footing at the very last minute. Marth would have sworn out loud if he didn't hear his dear friend laughing first.

"Finally found you, ya' elusive sonuvabitch!"

The weight on his back slipped off when Marth turned around, slightly glaring at his friend with hand over heart.

"Good gods! Mind not giving me a heart attack or ramming me into the ground before announcing your grand return?"

"Tch. Missed you too, Marth."

Once Marth straightened up, he got a good look of his Pheraean friend. His messy red hair was now longer, but still fiery as ever. A few inches taller and a bit leaner and sharper (his uniform no longer too loose or too big on him), but still wore his old blue-gold headband and his trademark grin on his face. After a year from his going away, he definitely had his share of battles but with a touch of youth still within him.

"It's good to see you here again, Roy."

Marth cleared his throat and smiled before taking Roy's hand and giving a quick shoulder embrace. The fact he about face planted the ground didn't deter his happiness of seeing his childhood friend now attending Iwata once more, especially after his disheartening departure late spring semester of last year.

"You too, Marth." Roy nudged his friend's shoulder, a little relieved to see that his friend wasn't actually upset.

"I thought you were busy all day – or at least I didn't think I'd see you until later this afternoon."

Marth felt his phone vibrate once in his pants pocket, but ignored it.

"I was, but my morning class was released early since there was a few absences in class," Roy rested his hands on the back of his neck as he began making his way down the cemented straightaway. "Just now on my way to the Registrar's office to sign some paperwork on my scholarship before seeing you here."

Marth followed and walked beside him, reminiscing of their times growing up together in junior academy. "Man, there's so much I didn't get to ask you over the phone," he paused. "Are you coming in as a sophomore?"

"Nope! Once I got my transcript finalized, I had enough credits to continue as a junior, as if I never left."

"Really...?" Marth sent him a mildly puzzled look. Another vibrate. "But how...?"

"Well, I actually owe your sis big on this one," Roy explained as he paused for a moment in front of the flat green meadow. "Back in June, Elice offered a way for me to earn my sophomore credits if I took the summer intensive program, since by GPA was high enough for it. Those classes really kicked my ass raw, but because of that, I was able to catch up before the school year started."

Two more vibrates. "Wow...I never knew..."

"To be fair, I maybe-sorta...kept it from you and everyone else because I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to make it in this year," Roy shrugged and kept walking on ahead. "I only called you once I got the e-mail from the headmaster."

"Right," Marth nodded, then quietly asked, "And your father...is he...?"

"Better. Much better," Roy assured him. "I know I had to take care of some business when he was really sick, but that...that's behind me now."

He let out a breath he was holding in before taking a long look ahead towards the horizon. "I don't regret taking my father's place when he and his men needed me...but now that my journey is over, I'm just so glad to be given the chance to keep most of my scholarship and continue studying here."

Roy rubbed his forearm and put on a sheepish grinned again. "I did a lot of soul searching when I was away, but for now...I'm still grateful everything worked out the way it did. Even though we lost a few good men on the way, we were victorious and my father fully recovered. And after rethinking what was really important to me...that's all I could ever ask for." (9)

Marth looked at his red-haired friend with a mixture of relief and admiration. He heard a few reports from his parents of Roy's situation, but for the most part, was in the dark all of last year. The occasional times could Marth get a hold of Roy (spotty signal, constant traveling, keeping a low profile, or straight up unavailable), he could tell Roy was withholding a lot from him. Whether or not it was at his discretion, Marth and his friends respected his decision to lead his father's army and patiently waited for Roy's return. Considering Roy's personal growth and humbling maturity now, it didn't take him twice to realize a big change in Roy this year.

"Dude...are you going to answer your phone? It's been vibrating the last few minutes."

"Huh?" Marth fished out his phone and took a look at his notification. Specifically the text messages and what appeared to be a slew of photos now filling his inbox.

* * *

><p><strong>CHROM: <strong>(12:19 PM) at the cafeteria

**PEACH: **(12:37 PM) where r u?-?-?

* * *

><p><strong>PEACH: <strong>(12:41 PM) (No subject) MMS (5)

* * *

><p>Roy peered over at Marth's phone when the Altean snickered audibly to himself. After receiving a string of pictures of his friends shrugging, which were odd in of itself, Marth wasn't exactly expecting the class secretary to be flipping him off. Although it was nice to catch up with Roy, he did realize he was running rather short on time for lunch and his friends were probably finishing up by now.<p>

"What the – that's Zelda?" Roy piped in. "Huh. She grew out her hair."

"I should go," Marth turned to Roy after pocketing his Android. Fittingly enough, they stopped at a fork at the dirt trail, which divided the gravel paths into two separate directions. "I'm supposed to meet Chrom for lunch today..."

"Same here," Roy adjusted the strap on his sling backpack. "I'm running late for my appointment anyways."

"Are you free tonight? Lissa wants to meet up at Brewster's and I'm sure everyone would want to see you again."

"Uh..." Roy frowned for a second. "Not sure...my parents wanted to Skype sometime tonight to make sure everything worked out at Iwata. I'll just send you a text later today, kay?"

"Sure thing. See you."

"Later."

The duo split off on their parting ways, ending their reunion on diverging paths along the wood. With the past behind them, Marth thought the future couldn't look any more brighter.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

Hello again, readers! Oh my goodness! A bit of a lengthy note ahead.

To everyone, thank you so much for staying with me and reading this chapter. I'm always excited and nervous when releasing a new chapter and I'm very grateful to those who decide to read my story. I hope everyone is having a good holiday! I know I am. This type of season makes me want to drink hot cocoa and read some fluffy Christmas stories.

I hate to admit it, but I actually had to cut this chapter IN HALF. I wanted to keep every chapter update about 5000-6000 words, and I...I...wrote too much. Because of that, the next chapter update will come _very_ soon!

I hope I wrote Daisy, Zelda, and Peach's character alright. I admired these girls when I was a kid, so the last thing I would want to do is make them out-of-character. I wanted to make each character's core personality in game was the same in my story, but I also took in account that every student is also a teenager and realistically, will act like a teenager. That's why a few of the Iwata students are both very mature and responsible in certain ways, but also still act in silly and ridiculous ways amongst themselves. At least, that's how I remember high school, haha!

By the way: fun fact, I based a bit of Iwata's Dining Hall to Binghamton University's cafeteria! Why? It was the first to pop up on Youtube. *sweats* I realized that I spent a lengthy time describing the cafeteria. *sweats even more* I hope I didn't go overboard, ho boy. (Should've stopped on the description, d'oh!)

Speaking of which! Students from both Iwata and Fils-Aime range about 16-22 years old, with a few exceptions, and both graduates, professors, and other adults are a few years older. One of the few things I struggle with in this story is juggling everyone's personality type. With a few characters (especially with some of the royalty characters), some of their personalities tend to blend in and are very similar, so I want to work on differentiating everyone and making everyone their own distinct person. I hope that make sense? For now, here is the grade levels for the characters in Iwata. Fils-Aime will come in the next chapter.

Iwata Academy:

**First Years: **Daisy, Lissa*

**Second Years: **Peach, Sully, Maribelle

**Third Years: **Zelda, Marth, Roy, Vaike,

**Fourth Years: **Chrom, Lon'qu, Stahl, Rose

**Graduates: **Elice, Emmeryn

_*Lissa, despite her youthful and naïve appearance, is very intelligent and managed to be accepted at Iwata at a early age of 14._

So far, I've been nailing down how to mix all the video game lore in this universe and how it will mesh well with the other Smash contenders. It's been a bit rough patching up some of my writing towards and filling in plot holes. Ah, the hardships of every writer! As for Zelda and Link's back-story, it was a bit of a tough situation figuring which game to draw from the most.

At the end, I decided Ocarina of Time would be best because of its relevance in the official Legend of Zelda timeline. I still really love the character design in Hyrule Warriors – Zelda's dress is _gorgeous! _In general, I will try to stay true to game lore, but I will have to tweak and change a few bits of canon to make the story work.

* * *

><p><span>Reviewer Responses: <span>

"_**potato: **__ooooh this looks pretty interesting :D question, will you have both robins appear in this?" _

Ah! I want to answer this so badly, but due to plot relevance, I can only confirm for now that female Robin will be in the story...**so far**_**. **_Stay tuned, and thanks you so much for reviewing!

"_**Ruler of Nintendo: **__So well-written... Can't wait to see where this goes. I'm not usually a fan of AUs like this, but this one is actually believable and I've never seen an idea used like this before. Nice nods to our presidents as well. Fils-Aime all the way XD" _

Aww! Thank you, that means a lot to me! Not sure if my writing isn't publish-worthy – I have plenty of room for improvement. I completely understand what you mean about alternate universes, though! When I was planning my story, I definitely wanted a unique universe that was distinguishable among the rest. The typical High School AU is the plague of fanfiction in general, and they are a dime a dozen within the Smash fandom. At the same time, I didn't want to resort to the "Smash Mansion" universe, either – nothing wrong with that universe, but I felt there were enough stories using that setting without me adding more to it.

In the end, I settled for a more modern world universe, but without abandoning the diverse game lore every character brought to the table. I also wanted to incorporate the game's mechanics in the story (which will be explained later!) Just for fun-sies, I sprinkled a bit of cameos and nods to characters, A-list names, and game lore from various Nintendo titles. Glad to see that the Fils-Aime Battle School has a fan!

"_**Guest:**__ Excellent work so far!" _

Thank you very much! Hope you will stick around for more!

For the rest of my readers, don't forget to look out for the new chapter next month, **Trouvaille**!

**- A. Mitsuni**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Index:<strong>

(1) Professor Frankly is a old Goomba teacher at U Goom from _Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door_. The good Professor consults with Mario and Goombella at various points during their quest, and helps them with hints on where to go next.

(2) All the battle schools in Nintendo-Land assign school identification cards to all attending students. For Iwata Academy, their ID cards allow them computer access at any part of the campus, as well buying items (food and drink, school supplies, textbooks, merchandise, etc.) on campus from money drawn from their personal student account.

(3) _Cooking Mama_ is a Nintendo series where the titular character teaches players to cook various kinds of food through cookery simulation mini games.

(4) Sully and Stahl are two side characters from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_ and are a part of Chrom's volunteer militia known as "the Shepherds." Both are of cavalier class.

(5) A town ordinance is a rule that changes certain things about your town in _Animal Crossing: New Leaf_. In the Early Bird Ordinance, shops open and close 3 hours earlier and villagers get up for the day and go to bed 3 hours earlier.

(6) Vaike is another side character from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_, who is also a part of the Shepherds. He is Chrom's childhood friend and is in the fighter class.

(7) Lissa is most likely to snort when laughing, but is very self conscious about her snorting.

(8) Maribelle is a side character from _Fire Emblem: Awakening._ She is Lissa's best friend and is known for her snobbish upper-class personality. She is of the troubadour class.

(9) Roy is the main character from _Fire Emblem: the Binding Blade_. In the main plot, Roy leads the League of Lycia's army against the forces of the militant country of Bern shortly after his father falls ill. In this universe, Roy has returned from his quest of defeating Bern's forces and has recently come back to Nintendo-land to continue his studies soon after his father, Eliwood, recovers and can lead his army once again.

**EDIT: **Wording. Formatting. Cleaning up more wording, punctuation, and misspellings.


	4. Chapter Four: Trouvaille

**Chapter Four:** Trouvaille

* * *

><p><strong>Trouvaille: <strong>(French) (n.)_ a valuable discovery, or a lucky find; something lovely discovered by chance._

* * *

><p>"You <em>do<em> know I already uploaded that pic of you on Facebook, right?"

Slam!

"You didn't _dare_..."

Zelda firmly pounded the bottom of her plastic cup on the tabletop with a loud clank before boring her death stare at the Archanean prince. Marth immediately sweat dropped and held his hands up in apprehension.

"H-hey, hold on, it's was a joke!"

The blonde looked on unamused before shaking her head and swatting at his arm, muttering "jerk" with a small smile on her lips. Marth, as always, brushed it off with an innocent smile. Rose, who sat on the other end of the table, was busy reading one of her text books before looking up and smiling behind the covers.

"What took you so long, anyways?" Chrom asked as he took the last spoonful of chocolate soft serve. He already ate most of his lunch and was finishing off his dessert when Marth finally showed up at their table.

"Sorry about that. I ran into Roy when I was leaving the library," Marth answered back.

_'Quite literally, actually.'_

"Oh right! I almost forgot he was coming back this year. Say, is he doing okay?"

"Whoa, did you say Roy? I haven't seen him in years!" Lissa popped up into the conversation. She suddenly remembered the times she and her brother met with Marth and Roy during the bi-annual Archanean royal banquets when they were kids. Although, most of her childhood memories were of her and Maribelle fighting against the Chrom, Roy, and Marth, who vehemently denied including them during play time in the gardens because "no girls allowed." That is, until Elice and Emmeryn chided the boys to be nicer. (1)

"I wonder if he still remembers me..."

"Roy was in good spirits when I saw him," Marth nodded reassuringly. "And Lissa, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again after so long."

"Oh hey! You're finally here!" A voice was overheard behind Chrom and Lissa.

To Marth's left walks in Peach and Daisy, who left the table for a moment and returned with Starbeans coffee from in hand. Daisy, too, realized the azure-haired junior as the class president, but couldn't bring to mind his name.

"Took ya' long enough," Peach bit back her giggles before setting her iced macchiato down. "So! Did you get my texts?"

"Yes, I did! In fact, they will be wonderful contributions to the yearbook committee - ack!" Marth was interrupted by a swift kick to his chair by a certain Hylian sitting next to him.

"This is Marth, by the way," Peach turned to her cousin once more to introduce her friend. "And Marth, this is - "

"Daisy, isn't it?" Marth extended his hand to Daisy, who was surprised that the upperclassman already knew of her.

"How did you know..?"

"One of the duties as part of class government is becoming familiar with the student body, including the incoming freshmen this year," he explained. "That, and Peach would tell us stories all about you all last year."

"Eh...!"

"Wait, I didn't say the embarrassing ones!" Peach still laughed when Daisy lightly elbowed her.

"So Daisy, what do you think of the school so far?" the class president asked once the two princesses took their seats at the table.

Daisy shrugged, a little unsure what else to say. "Ah...it's been alright, I guess?" She pondered if she could have said more, but what?

"Just alright?" Marth feigned a surprised look before rubbing his chin and smiling again. "Well then, it looks like I got my work cut out for me this year."

"Wait, I-I didn't mean it like that - "

"Relax. He was kidding," Zelda casually spoke up while scrolling on her phone.

"Oh. Right."

"I know it's just been your first day at school, but have you thought of joining any sports or our clubs?" Marth continued.

"I never really thought about it..."

"Why don't you try for our tennis team?" Peach added. "You were really into that last summer. Plus, you'll get to meet more people in your class."

"Our team is also one of the top teams in the region," Rose recalled from behind her book. "I think we actually made it to nationals last spring."

"Huh..." Daisy relaxed back in her chair. She did welcome the idea of trying out the many extracurricular activities on campus and this week was the perfect time to join. "I guess it couldn't hurt to try it out."

"Well, it looks like we should start heading out," Marth glanced at his watch before he got up from the table and slung his cotton-canvas messenger bag and black blazer over his shoulder. "C'mon Chrom, we got a meeting to attend."

"Marth..." Chrom looked at his cousin with tired, begging eyes. "Do they really need the vice-prez there?"

"Remember, you signed up for this when you got the job," Marth rounded over and patted the navy-haired Ylissian on the shoulder. "Besides, I need another ear at the meeting in case I can't make it to the next one later this month."

With a sigh, Chrom got up from his chair and picked up his tray, now resigning to the fact that he'll be dragged to this meeting whether he liked it or not. He did enjoy hands-on involvement with the school and the students as vice president, but other times like this felt more less enjoyment and more like work.

"Hey, at least pretend you're listening this time around, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'll see ya' later tonight, Chrom! Don't fall asleep like last time!" Lissa waved him off as the two bluenettes made their way down the staircase and out of the dining hall.

"Who were you guys talking about earlier, anyways?" Peach asked when the boys were out of sight. When she and Daisy made their way back to the table, she couldn't help but overhear the tail end of their conversation.

"Marth was just telling us that he ran into Roy today," Lissa finished the last bit of her berry parfait before wiping her mouth boyishly wiping her mouth with her hand. "And that's why he was late for lunch."

"Roy?" the Mushroom Kingdom princess repeated with a quizzical look. She knew most of the student body and a few freshmen attending this year, but that name wasn't ringing any bells in her mind.

"Oh, I forgot," Zelda set her phone aside. "You haven't met Roy yet since he left the year you began Iwata. He and Marth knew each other since they were kids, so you'll probably meet him sooner or later."

"Hm."

"Don't worry, Peach! He's not as cute as your Mario!" Lissa playfully poked at her friend with the end of her spoon.

Peach's shocked face quickly flushed pink. "Wha – oh, be quiet!"

* * *

><p>The click of her heels on the hard ivory floor was muted by the wool of the blood red carpet.<p>

Even late in the afternoon, bright beams of sunlight descended upon the great hall; the light streamed past the stain glass windows and through the gold trimmed pillars on each side. On every marble column was a candle-lit lantern and a race emblem and ancient Hylian script engraved in stone. Each pillar marked every race and tribe in the kingdom, all of which were peacefully united under the ruling Hyrule flag.

A young woman of noble stature, carrying an air of grace and poise, continued down the winding gallery alone. Any time she felt thoughts of sadness or stress, she found herself reflecting on her nation's history to ease her mind and heart.

Towards the end of the carpeted passageway was the grandiose foyer, in which a large, half-spherical fire pit placed before the brimming royal crest of the Hyrule ruling family. The great national symbol hung between two traditional elegant staircases, leading to a second floor level. Finally, positioned high above the ground was the vast stain glass centerpiece, spanning several feet high and wide on smooth, stone brick wall.

The woman then paused at the top of the stair to gaze upon the splendor of artistry set before her. Although she has visited the once cathedral-turned-campus building many times before, she was still awestruck by the scale and beauty of this gorgeous feat. (2) The artwork illustrated the origin story behind the _Hyrule Historia,_ spanning the many historic heroes of Hyrule old. (3)

The gleaming mosaic began with the three Golden Goddesses on top: Din, Nayru, and Farore, all shrouded in a ball of white light. Each goddess each held out their triangle piece to complete Hyrule's most sacred golden relic known as the Triforce. Below was her Grace, Hylia, the divine deity who held her hands to reach out to the triangular insignia from above. Those surrounding Hylia were the aboriginal land dwellers that bravely fought alongside the goddess and helped seal away the evil Demise that threatened the land. Towards the bottom, the circular window separated into three long round-top windows.

On the right window was a famed Hero of Time, cloaked in a green tunic as he stood in front of a forest dwelling. In his right arm was his shield and in his left was the Master Sword. To the left window was the villainous Ganon who stood upon lava and castle ruins as the sky ran red. And finally, in the middle window, was her majesty, Queen Zelda, the reincarnate of Hylia and the first monarch of what would later be known as Hyrule. She stood upon a pedestal with the castle of Ancient Hyrule behind her.

The woman took a seat on a bench nearby and stared at the central stain glass window in front of her. Even at first glance, there was a clear resemblance between the stain-glass Zelda of the past, and the prevailing Zelda who now stood before it.

No matter how much the Hylian princess wanted to ignore it, every portrait, sculpture, or mural of her ancestor was beginning to look more and more like her reflection as each day passed. And in each passing day, the burden of her supposed destiny weighed more heavily on her shoulders. A burden that every past Zelda of the royal bloodline has gone through.

A chill ran down her back, causing her to shudder a little.

Destiny.

A word that she found herself despising to her very core.

During her younger years, Zelda read all the famous legends and adventures of the Hero of Time, who fought against the treacherous king of evil, Ganondorf with the aid of the wise princess Zelda of the past. As she got older, the heiress read every bit of Hylian history and all the records, gobbling up as much information as she could about her ancestors. And yet, this summer when she brought up her growing fears about the Gerudo territory, Zelda's parents harshly disregarded her worries.

_"__Zelda, dear...why are you being so hardheaded about this? You are simply overreacting with these fantasies of yours." _

_"__Dear, _please. _Those are just fairy tales - stories that parents tell their children before bedtime. We need not worry of an invasion now; the leaders of our time don't have the money or the morale to start a war." _

_"__Zelda, I demand you drop these accusations against Ganondorf! It's not becoming of a lady like yourself..." _

She shut her eyes tight with the last memory of her parents burning in her mind. Even she surprised herself of how heated and wrapped up she got about her parents' dismissal. One side of her regrets not acting as the picturesque princess her parents dreamed of her to be. But the other side of her remained angry and hurt by her mother and father passing her off as if she was some naïve teen and refusing to listen to her.

Zelda released a weary sigh and laid her hands to her lap. According to the official record books, every king born into the Gerudo tribe had always invaded or initiated war against the Hyrule capital, up until before the great Hyrule civil war. She was sure of it, going as far as checking several different sources multiple times. (4)

And yet...

Who was she, the one who opposed the current relations with the Gerudo, to fight fate? How could Zelda send such claims when she herself did not want to do anything of her predestined fate? She, the Zelda who has yet to leave a mere scratch in history, was one to define Ganondorf of the present after all he has done for his people and the people of Nintendo-land? It was no wonder that many still had doubted her allegations.

She didn't want to rely on some hero to come to her rescue. She didn't want to fight another war. The only thing she yearned most was to continue the years of peace and well-being for her people like her parents and grandparents have done so far.

In the end, was that too much to ask?

She looked up at her ancestors once more in bitter defiance. Although her feelings are still wounded, she knew it high time to call and apologize to her parents after giving them the cold shoulder for a few days.

_'__I won't tell them that they were right, though...'_ Zelda frowned to herself.

As for the Gerudo alliance, she was still dealing with restless, troubled feelings deep within herself. Especially now that she was an involved member of student government, there was no avoiding interaction with _him._

* * *

><p>He woke to a start.<p>

The sun has now set, painting the skies with pink and orange hues.

_'__That dream. Again.'_

"Oh, you're finally up now!"

"The sleepy man is awake now."

After rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the blonde sat up from the window sill to face his smiling classmates. One was known as Megaman, a young boyish android, who wore his Fils-Aime jacket over dark brown shorts and blue boots that looked too large for his feet. (5) The latter, Donkey Kong, was a large gorilla who wore only his brand name red neck-tie with a black electric collar underneath, as his school jacket draped across a few of the plastic chairs. (6) Both of them seemed fairly enthusiastic now that their band member awoke from his nap.

"Huh, Mr. No-speak-um sleeps right through most of the meeting, but then magically wakes up right before we begin our practice. Of course."

Another student, in his numbered red t-shirt and charcoal colored shorts, stood in the corner of the small room as he gave his sarcastic retort. His dog-like friend quickly scolded him. (7)

"Mayor! Don't be so rude!"

"Hmph."

She then turned over to face the Hylian and sweetly asked, "Link, thank you for waking up now, but do you mind getting your instrument out?"

The green-clad blonde nodded, giving an apologetic look towards his classmate.

"You know, you'd think his parents would've given him and his sister normal names..." Megaman whispered as he scooted over to DK.

"Pot calling the kettle black, _Megaman._ If you're going to talk about me, do it so I can't hear you next time."

"Mayor!" His fair-haired companion sighed again before pinching the bridge of her nose. "C'mon guys, let start practice so we don't miss dinner today."

"Got it, Isabelle," the android gave a mock salute, as he knew the last thing she needed was more stress. "DK's got the music sheets ready, so let's get this ball rolling."

As DK took out some paper out of his folder nearby, Link proceeded to grab the flute out of it's hard case. His mind was still rather clouded after waking from that dream again, but he set that aside to think about later. For now, he wanted to continue band practice without any further disruptions.

* * *

><p>Early morning the next day, with partly cloudy blue skies and milder temperatures.<p>

"Blah! Chroooooom...! I am _soooo _bored!"

Chrom gave another sigh before glaring back at his younger sister, who was sprawled across the wood table. As much as he dearly loved her, Lissa's complaining was beginning to get at his nerves, specifically this early in the day.

"Can't help you there, Liss."

"Uuuugh, why don't we have any cell service around here?" Lissa continued to whine, wiggling her legs in an unlady-like manner.

"Milady, you know exactly why we selected this route for our escorts. It was the faster and more covert than taking the main road," Frederick, their childhood mentor and bodyguard, intervened. "And you _did_ insist on coming along. We're very fortunate we are not on horseback like in the old days."

Lissa sat up straight with puffed cheeks and crossed arms. "I know, but...I really thought it was going to be more exciting! And not, like...super boring."

Chrom was thankful for Frederick's calm demeanor as his mentor tried his best to keep her entertained. He also agreed that their escort mission was growing dull, but wasn't going to admit it out loud. No longer wanting to listen to Lissa's complaints, Chrom got up from the table to stretch his legs.

From where he stood, he saw two black sedans parked on the roadside, with second car carrying the escorts inside the cab. From the outside, the students from Fils-Aime Battle School stood guard of the cars, two of which are Pokémon and one who bore the likeness of an angelic being, literally.

The bigger, lizard-like Pokémon, Charizard, was curled up asleep in the grassy field a few feet adjacent to the cars. The napping Pokémon noticeably wore a thick, black collar on his neck. Lucario, the smaller of the duo, sat cross-legged on the roof of the car and meditated quietly during their break at the rest area. Pit, the winged human, leaned next to the second car while he snacked on a granola bar and read his paperback book. Two of the cab drivers stood a couple yards away for a smoke.

Even though Chorm has had the opportunity to take on a few joint missions with the Fils-Aime school, it was always interesting to meet some of the very diverse students from Iwata's rival school. While there were students from a different kingdoms, halidoms, and nations, the Iwata student body consisted of mostly humans.

The Ylissian prince stared intently at the second car as he thought about the people he was escorting. From the mission statement he read the night before, the older couple were the former ruling king and queen of the neighboring Golden Pyramid Kingdom. As of recent, the kingdom and its people were singlehandedly taken over by one known as "Golden Diva", who successfully overthrew the ruling family and caused their only child, Princess Shokora, to go missing. (8)

In response, the Nintendo-Land government welcomed fleeing refugees and closed off exports to the Golden Pyramid until Golden Diva agreed to surrender the kingdom. According to news reports, the city council were unfortunately restricted to their neutral stance as a whole and could not offer much more to the runaway king and queen aside from political asylum within their borders. Since then, the city's Justice Force arranged a "mission" for Fils-Aime students to sign up for: escort the once-royal monarch from the waterfront to their place of safety outside the city and protect them from any suspicious enemies up the mountain pass and through "bandit" territory.

Due to Chrom's connection to the Shepherds, he and his small accompaniment served as representatives of Ylisse, and by extension, a supporting presence from the overarching rulers of United Archanea. (9) By his elder sister's orders, Emmeryn persisted that this mission was vital in terms of Ylisse's public relations and urged Chrom to step up as a leader.

Logically, he had no argument against the matter. Though, he did secretly yearned for a little more action than just riding along on a road trip through the forested mountain pass, since he, Frederick, and Lissa wore their battle uniforms and packed their weapons just in case. (10) Of course, Emmeryn wouldn't exactly be in line of his thinking.

He rode with the escorts at the beginning of the trip, which was rather uncomfortable to sit beside the tired, tear-filled couple who were still grieving over their child. He and his sister were sympathetic, but clueless in consoling the mourning parents. Perchance after the break, he thought to ask the Fils-Aime students if they could switch cars.

"Hey Chrom! Whatcha' doing?"

Startled out of his thoughts, Chrom turned around to see Lissa bounding behind him.

"I'm thinking of just taking a small walk through the trail before we get back on the road. I think it would be wise to get some fresh air before we're in the car for a few hours."

"Can I come with? I'm really bored and I'm tired of hearing how much Frederick hates wolves and bear meat." (11)

Chrom laughed, pitying Frederick for a moment. "Sure, why not. We're not going to go too far, I don't want to worry the rest of the crew."

"Milord!" Frederick, who was not too far behind, called out. "Please allow me follow. I cannot afford for anything bad happening to both of you out here."

The three made their way side by side on a semi-paved trail through the wooded trees. For a few minutes, Lissa talked about how her classes were going so far and Chrom mentioned a few tidbits and funny stories from his time at the barracks with Frederick listening silently from behind. It wasn't long when wave of quietness settled and the group simply enjoyed each others company and the tranquil nature around them.

Within a few minutes, the trio stumbled into another lush clearing, where one lone oak tree stood atop a small hill in the distance.

"Milord, I think it is time we should head back," Frederick advised.

Chrom nodded, and turned around to head back to the rest area when suddenly, Lissa points to the tree and exclaims,

"Wait! I think I see something over there!"

"Hmm?" Chrom looked uncertainly at Lissa.

"Up over there!" Before the two men could stop her, Lissa ran through the thick grass and made her way towards the hill.

"Lissa! Lissa, wait up!"

"Milord!"

The two finally caught up to the Ylissian princess, who stopped at the top of the hill.

"Lissa, what is the meaning of thi – "

Chrom's words caught in his throat when he looked over Lissa's shoulder and saw a young, pink-haired girl lying at the trunk of the tree. Worried that his sister stumbled upon a dead body, he walked closer and to his relief, saw she was still breathing with only a slight wound on her temple. Upon further inspection, he noticed the stranger wearing a dark purple hooded coat that looked very similar to Plegian clothes. (12) The morning dew was present on the woman's clothes and hair, which led him to presume this woman was left here overnight or for longer.

"Chrom, we have to do _something." _Lissa pleaded.

He turned to his sister who was also hovering above the injured girl. "What do you propose we do?"

"Ah...I don't know..."

A small noise was heard from the ground, in which both immediately looked at the source. There, the mysterious girl blinked open her eyes, now awake from her deep slumber.

"Oh. I see that you're awake now," Chrom said, kneeling next to the woman.

"..."

"Hey there," Lissa smiled cheerfully, careful not to frighten or disturb the drowsy woman.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," Chrom extended an open palm to help pull the stranger up. "Give me your hand."

Gracious for their kindness, the girl silently took his hand and, for a moment, didn't realize how close she got to his face until she was up on her feet. She quickly looked down and backed up, Chrom assumed, out of courtesy.

"You all right?" Chrom asked. He glanced at her head wound for a moment, which was fortunately only a swollen bruise with no bleeding.

"Y-Yes..." she paused for a second. "Thank you, Chrom."

Chrom couldn't hide his surprised expression. While he wasn't exactly a nameless figure, he didn't expect a random stranger, in the forest no less, to recognize him immediately. But judging from the clothes...

"Ah, then you know who I am?"

"No, actually - I... It's strange..." the Plegian stumbled with her words. "Your name, it just...came to me..."

Lissa tilted her head and blinked in confusion while Chrom rubbed his chin.

"Hmm...how curious. Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

"My name is..." the woman brow suddenly furrowed, almost in a frustrated look as if she was trying to recall something once forgotten. "It's...hmmm...?"

"...you don't remember your own name?"

She sighed, sounding more embarrassed than perplexed. "I'm not sure if...I'm sorry, but where am I, exactly?"

"Hey, I've heard of this!" Lissa pointed out. "It's called amnesia!"

"It's called a load of pegasus dung."

Frederick finally broke his silence, walking forward and sternly facing towards the pink-haired teen.

"We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"

"B-But it's the truth!" she stammered.

"...what if it _is_ true, Frederick?" Chrom came to her defense before moving over to pull Frederick aside. The two girls looked at each, and then at the boys as the two men spoke out of ear shot momentarily. Once again, Chrom began walking back.

"Right then—we'll take her back to the resting area and sort this out there," Chrom decided. "We can't forget our mission at hand."

"Wait just one moment," the stranger hesitated, backing away and raising her hands. "Do I have a say in this?"

Chrom gave a friendly smirk. "Peace, friend—I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come."

* * *

><p>"What will you do with me? Am I to be your prisoner?"<p>

The group traveled on the path back to the rest area in silence before the stranger decided to speak up. While she still looked unsure, there was a flickering fire of courage behind those eyes as she refused to be captured by potential enemies.

"Hah!" Chrom couldn't help but chuckle at the sheer idea of him taking someone hostage. "You'll be free to go once we establish that you're no enemy of Ylisse, or Nintendo-Land for that matter."

"Is that where we are? Ylisse?"

"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick asked incredulously before giving a callous laugh. "Ha! Someone pay this actor. She plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing…"

"Frederick, please," Chrom frowned and rolled his eyes before turning back to the unnamed woman. "This land is known as Nintendo-Land. As for Ylisse..."

The group continued the tread down the trail as Chrom began to explain in further detail the land of his origin and their head leader known as the Exalt. He included some information about their current location, Nintendo-Land, and the major city all three are staying at time being. The woman listened intently, earnestly nodding and taking in everything Chrom said.

_'__If what Frederick said is true,'_ Chrom thought to himself. _'She's playing the part to the T.'_

He then turned and pointed to his younger sister. "I suppose proper introductions are in order - the delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."

"I am _not _delicate!" Lissa kicked at Chrom's shin, causing him to wince. "…hmph! Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes. But you're lucky us Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"

"Shepherds? You tend sheep?" the Plegian asked, then after glancing at their wear, "...in full armor?"

"Heh, it's a dangerous job," Chrom held back a laugh, as it could be interpreted as rude to the woman. He then pointed his thumb his bodyguard and said, "Just ask Frederick the Wary here."

Frederick instead simply held his head high, unperturbed by the given nickname.

"A title I shall wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise."

"I understand, sir. I would do no less myself."

The woman then stopped on the path, causing the rest of the group to stop and heed attention to her.

"My name is Robin," she blankly stated, as if her mind just received a text message. "…I just now remembered that. How odd. I suppose that's one mystery solved."

"Robin?" Chrom repeated. "Is that foreign? …Ah, well. We can discuss it later. We're almost to the rest stop. Once we —"

"Chrom!"

The group immediately stopped at opening which led to the resting area, as Pit came running towards them and was virtually out of breath.

"Thank the gods I found you all! We've been looking all over for you!"

Lissa gasped aloud, looking ahead of the roadway. "Chrom, look! The town!"

The group rushed out of the trail and looked above the forested area, only to see billowing clouds of smoke and fire lighting up the once clear skies.

_'__That's too close and much too big to be a controlled burn! That means the town...!'_ Chrom immediately looked over to the cars, seeing Charizard up and raring for battle, Lucario similarly in his fighting stance.

"Damn it! The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt..." Chrom quickly thought on his feet and sprang into action, shouting out his orders.

"Pit, you and Charizard take to the skies and bring down any bandits you see. Only aim for the brigands and thieves so you don't bring any harm to the villagers."

"Got it!" Pit, armed with his bow and arrows, dashed off with the reptilian Pokémon before zooming off into the air.

"Lucario, make sure the drivers and the escorts stay inside the cab and defend it at all costs. Make sure no one gets close to the king and queen."

Lucario nodded and ran straight towards the cars.

"Frederick, Lissa – " he readied himself with his Falchion at hand. " - come with me, we'll attack on the ground and take them out on foot."

"What about her?" Frederick asked as Chrom and Lissa took off running.

"Unless she's on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom yelled back.

"Frederick, let's go already!" Lissa urged, sprinting to keep in pace with her brother.

"Well then. Aptly put, milord," Frederick respond straight faced, before following the Yllisian heirs.

"But what about —" Robin, who barely kept up with what was going on, simply stood in place with her mouth slightly ajar. "Hmm..."

She thought deeply for a moment, debating her options and the next course of action. In the given situation, Robin could just run off free now that Chrom and his group were distracted. However...she felt her heart tugging towards the troubled village folk. Even if fighting off brigands and saving the town wasn't her responsibility, her inner moral being couldn't just ignore the townspeople's cries for help. Innocent lives were now at stake, and she couldn't bare to stand there and do nothing about it.

Once she stood firm in her decision, Robin nodded to herself and ran off towards the direction of the village ahead. She did have to prove her usefulness to someone after all.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note: <span>**

Hello again, readers!

I finally got another update up! Woohoo! I was very tempted to procrastinate and just update next weekend, but I was like, "NO! I must stay true to my word! Even if I update at midnight, it is no matter!" After pulling all my teeth out, I finally did it! *weak cheer*

Anyways, I'm very happy at being able to churn this chapter out when I could. I will admit, I was partially inspired by _Super Smash Bros: Hands Of Fate _by _Gearhead96_. I loved how the Mayor (Villager) had a sarcastic, blunt, and funny personality - so much that it inspired me to continue writing him this way in my story. If you get the chance to read this story, I highly recommend it!

As for other characters, I will say that Link will be written as mute for this story. Nothing against authors who decide to give Link dialogue, but for me personally, since he doesn't talk in the games, I thought it would be a little odd for him to have a speaking role. In the mean time, he will simply be a selective mute person and have different ways of communicating with others.

As for Robin's character, she will not be based off of myself – it's not unheard of, as you can customize and personalize Avatar as your own character, but my interpretation of Robin is that she has her own unique personality and characteristics that will come about later on. As for right now, she is a little bit of a blank slate, as she has no memories of her past. This will come into play later on as the story progresses.

In the mean time, I did choose her pink-haired color palette as her physical appearance in this story. I based her looks on this image: (image link provided in my profile). I hope to put this image, plus other ones up on the official blog that I will post up sometime soon.

As for the Fils-Aime Battle School students, here is what we have so far!

Fils-Aime Battalion School:

**First Years: **Little Mac, Megaman, Olimar

**Second Years: **Pit, Samus, Ike, Mayor (Villager), Isabelle

**Third Years: **Link, Meta Knight, Kirby

**Fourth Years: **Donkey Kong

**Graduates: **Captain Falcon, Solid Snake

I will probably add more once I begin introducing more characters. If you are wondering why the last scene may sound familiar, I did pull some dialogue from _Fire Emblem: Awakening, _with a little bit of tweaking to fit in with the writing_._ While I will say that there will be other scenes that are inspired by in-game cutscenes, this won't be a repetitive trend in my story, as I want to keep in original content as much as I can.

This chapter had quite a bit heavy on the game lore exposition: if you're a big fan of Legend of Zelda, it's not a big deal. But if you don't know much about Legend of Zelda, I'll try to write in a way that isn't confusing!

If you have any suggestions or any prying questions, let me know in the reviews! I'll continually update, this chapter (as I may or may not had a lot of time in the editing process *cough*) and later update my profile in terms of release dates and extra resources.

And one last bit before this after note get way too long - I just published my first four chapters, and I'm unsure whether or not I should keep going with this story? I apologize again for the slow start - the first few chapters will seem a bit slice of life as I introduce everyone before I get the plot ball rolling. I _am_ a poor judge of my writing ability and if people are still interested, but if people still want me to keep posting, I will!

**- A. Mitsuni**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Index:<span>**

(1) Emmeryn is Chrom's older sister from Fire Emblem: Awakening. Similarly in game, she serves as the Exalt, or leader, of the continent nation of Ylisse and holds a seat in the Nintendo-Land's city council.

(2) In early city of Nintendo-Land a few centuries ago, the Hyrule royal family, along with United Archanea, Ylisse, Lycia, and Mushroom Kingdom, set the foundation of what would later become Iwata Academy. Because of this, a Hylian cathedral was donated to the school as a way to expand the campus. Later on during the modern era, the cathedral was later remodeled to house classrooms for the growing student body. The stain-glass art remained intact throughout the renovating process.

(3) _The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia_ is a 274-page book released by Nintendo, featuring official Zelda artwork as well as the history of the Zelda universe. In this universe, _Hyrule Historia_ is the official history text, recording all the historical events of the Hyrule realm.

(4) In this universe: according to many of the Hylian historians, there were various legends and tales of the courageous Hero of Time and his successors stem from every reincarnation of wise Zelda and the treacherous Ganon, which happened every few centuries. Then, a long and bloody civil war that plagued the land and lasted for many years up until current Zelda's great grandfather finally stopped the bloodshed during his reign. Once again, peace was restored and the many races and tribes of Hyrule were careful to not set off another war and burden the next generation. With nearly a century of reconciliation among the tribes, much of the modern royal family has long forgotten the relevancy of tales of the Hero of Time.

(5) Megaman's casual outfit is based off of this image: (Image link provided in my profile)

(6) Since Pokémon have a spoken language that is only understood amongst themselves, Pokémon trainers were set in place to provide communication between Pokémon and students and teachers in the battle school. Later in the modern age, Fils-Aime Battle School issued electronic communicative devices to Pokémon, then later students who did not speak Earthanian language (the common tongue in Earthania). This device wrapped around the neck (almost like a collar or bracelet), and helped translate brain waves into Earthanian speech, making communication within the school much easier. While most Pokémon and a few students are provided and use these collar devices daily, there are a select few students who opt out of using the collar (e.g. Link, Lucario, Mewtwo).

(7) Isabelle is a major character from _Animal Crossing: New Leaf_. She made her debut as the Mayor's eager, although sometimes scatterbrained secretary. A little clueless, but hardworking nonetheless, Isabelle tries to do anything to please the mayor.

(8) Princess Shokora is the true ruler of the Golden Pyramid and the damsel in distress in the game, _Wario Land 4_.

(9) In this story's universe, United Archanea is currently ruled by Marth's family, the house of Altea. United Archanea's power and influence reaches to other nations, including the "Fire Emblem" nations: Ylisse, Lycia, and Crimea. Nonetheless, these lands were once under United Archanea territory until granted independence in the modern era. While every nation is allowed their own independent government, United Archanea, technically by law, has the power to override the given government and retain control over the kingdom if need be. Fortunately, that has not been a case for several centuries as most of the nations at hand have experienced a period of peace and prosperity with the exception of the few skirmishes between other neighboring nations.

(10) Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick are dressed in their battle attire shown in _Fire Emblem: Awakening _respectively.

(11) According to _Fire Emblem: Awakening_ support conversations, Frederick was attacked by a wolf in his younger years, as well as carry a strong dislike of bear meat.

(12) Plegia is a smaller neighboring country on the Ylisse continent, bordering next to the Ylisse nation. In this current time, Exalt Emmeryn had ended a long and terrible war between the two countries and strove towards the path of peace.

**EDIT: **Fixed misspelling and wording. Fixed more wording. Deleted unnecessary words. Punctuation and misplaced wording. Index and author note edit. More wording. Punctuation.


	5. Chapter Five: Incalescent

**Chapter 5: **Incalescent

* * *

><p><strong>Incalescent:<strong> (English) (adj.)_ growing hotter or more ardent; set ablaze. _

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until Pit and Charizard approached the source of the fire from the skies. Once safely landing on the roofing of an isolated bell tower, the two finally noticed the real cause of the screams and billowing smoke. Several of the buildings and small houses were burning black, and soon the distressed cries of help came from the mountain folk below.<p>

"This looks real bad, Charizard," Pit turned to his partner. "We've gotta help those people before the whole village burns down!"

Soon enough, men armed with axes, swords, and spears came marching through the town, chopping down villagers and torching houses as they went. The sheer sight of these monsters cruelly taking innocent lives sent Pit's heart racing in rage and anger.

"Change of plans, Charizard," Pit lowered his voice as he drew out his sacred bow and nocked an arrow of light in place. "Let's go kick some ass!"

Charizard roared in reply, right before diving down towards the nearest cluster of bandits with Pit chasing his tail.

On the ground running, Chrom and his company rushed down the dirt path leading towards the town entrance before hearing fierce roar echo in the distance, along with brilliant flashes of light.

"Sounds like the others made it to town already," Chrom commented, looking at the ashy sky.

"Chrom! We have to stop them!" Lissa begged from behind, standing firm with her healing staff in hand. By her side, Frederick stoically nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry," the Ylissian prince hardened his expression and his grip on Falchion. "After today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again…"

"Chrom, wait!"

Suddenly, an unexpected voice called out from behind them.

The trio of Ylissians turned their heads over where, to their surprise, Robin stood. The Pleagian was slightly hurried and out of breath from sprinting, but nevertheless, ready to follow them into battle.

"Robin?! You followed us?" Chrom looked at her shocked, yet intrigued. "But...why?"

"I – uh...I'm not so certain myself," Robin began, eyes looking down for a moment in fleeting hesitation, before looking up with a determined resolve. "I don't know much, but all I know is this - it's the right thing to do to help others in need. I'm armed, and I think I still remember my way around a fight. If you'll have me, of course."

Frederick looked on with curious uncertainty while Lissa grinned and nodded encouragingly.

"Of course—strength in numbers," Chrom finally decided with a smile, this time eyes brimming with trust for his newfound ally. "Just follow my lead and stay close!"

"Remember, Robin, we've faced thieves and murderers before," Frederick gave one last warning to the tactician. "They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed. I cannot guarantee that you'll come out of this unscathed."

"Don't worry, Frederick," Robin replied with a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "If you all are willing to trust me, I've got a plan to take these guys down..."

* * *

><p>Back in the village, the two Fils-Aime students began their aerial assault on the thieves and bandits running the town amok. Charizard charged up his attack before unleashing a powerful Dragon Rush on the enemies below, ripping apart the horde of enemy swordsman and barbarians and clearing a path for the people of the town to escape.<p>

Pit ran across the clay tiled rooftops, dropping down from the ledges and letting loose a flurry of luminescent arrows on the any scattered bandits who narrowly escaped Charizard's fiery dash. Pit's well-aimed arrows mercilessly took out any hostile thieves who preyed upon the helpless women, children, and elderly townspeople. For those who came at close quarters quickly felt the brunt end of his Angel Ring spin attack from his bow, clearing through enemy grunts by the waves.

"Not so 'tuff now, are ya'?" Pit yelled as he felled another brutish bandit with another slash attack, "This is what you get for hurting these poor people!"

Charizard clawed at the many enemies surrounding him before flying up in the air and pummeling the ground again with another explosive charge at the brigands too slow to recover. Most enemy units were knocked into fallen stone walls or off into the flowing town waterways. As tempting as it would to take out enemies with his flame thrower, Charizard knew his fiery attacks would only fuel the flames in the town and potentially injure the helpless villagers.

But just as it seemed the area around them was cleared with much of the bandits driven out, a small hail of arrows sprung out from behind a brick divider, taking both Pit and Charizard by the surprise from the well-hidden trap.

The angelic fighter danced and dodged most of the arrows raining down at the last second, up until he was struck down by a one to the shoulder.

"Ack...!"

Charizard managed to knock down any remaining fighters with strong tail whip before breaking away and catching Pit before he hit the ground. Realizing the danger of his wounded partner on the ground, the hefty reptilian spread his wings up and flew away from the fray.

"Thanks buddy. I...shoulda been a bit more careful," Pit said with a groan, gingerly touching at the arrow that was now embedded into his left shoulder.

_"__Are you alright?"_ A automated voice buzzed from Charizard's electronic collar. Upon a quick inspection, the wood arrow only seemed to puncture an inch or so through his school jacket and simple armor, but nothing more than that. A small non-threatening wound for a veteran who has faced fights in the past, but a painful inconvenience nevertheless.

"I think so. Let's land somewhere safe just so I can get take care of this."

Within a few minutes, Charizard landed next to a sheltered spot behind a stone house and placed Pit on the ground. Pit pulled out his healing items to quickly tend to his wound while Charizard shielded his friend with his wing. Yet, their respite was cut short as it wasn't long until the duo heard more screams and shouts for help resounding from the town hall.

"There's still more bandits at the town center!" Pit fumed. "Charizard, you have to go help the townspeople!"

The fire-breathing Pokémon gave him a worried look towards his bloodied shoulder which was now bandaged in gauze.

"Oh, don't worry about me! I've still got one good arm, that's more than enough to teach these fools a lesson," Pit said with a valiant swing of his bow. "Now, get those good-for-nuthin' thieves before it's too late!"

Giving one more cautious glance, Charizard finally nodded and flew over to the town square.

A kilometer or two across town, Chrom and his company reached the west gates of the village entrance. On their location, numerous houses and store buildings were vacant with the dirt roads and alleyways now deserted, with the exception for mangled bodies of defeated bandits tossed to the side. The booming sound of weapons clashing and villagers running for their lives resonated from the epicenter of the town.

"Looks like Pit and Charizard took care of this part of town," Chrom gathered after observing the rubble left behind. "But now it seems that the bandits are driven back into the main plaza area."

"Remember to stick with the plan," Robin turned to face the group, not faltering for a second to take firm control over the situation.

"Frederick, Lissa – go take the paths on the outskirts of the town and focus on gathering all the civilians out of harm's way. Make a protective perimeter around the town so no enemy reinforcements from the outside can enter the town."

"Understood."

"Let's do this!"

"Chrom and I will rendezvous with the others at the town center and take out their leader, along with the rest of the bandits. Since they are running low in numbers, I'm certain they will be pushed to retreat or surrender once you cut the head leader of the operation."

"Got it," Chrom responded, giving his full support to their decisive tactician.

"Frederick, make sure to not let any bandits escape into the woods. Keep a hawk's eye out of any who will inevitably try to sneak away."

A nod of affirmation from the great knight.

"And Lissa," Robin turned to the cleric. "Stay close behind Frederick, he'll cover for you if there is any trouble. Use your restoring heal on my mark, alright?"

"Alright!" Lissa pumped her fist in the air. "Those jerk-bags won't know what hit 'em!"

"Now, let's move on out!" Chrom gave one last nod before the group parted ways.

* * *

><p>Chrom and Robin took to one of the flagstone alleyways, cutting through most of the residential housing and emptying into the town square.<p>

"Are you doing all right, Robin?" Chrom took a sharp right before running down the narrow passageway, Robin following close behind. "Remember, don't rush into danger."

"I'm fine, Chrom," Robin reassured, making sure to avoid some of the wreckage that littered their path. "Don't worry about me."

"You've lent us your strength, and that makes you a friend," Chrom gave a sideways glance before confidently grinning again. "Having an ally like you by my side gives me courage."

"Oh," Robin felt a bit of heat rise to her face. "...thank you."

The remaining bandits who escaped Pit and Charizard's initial attacks now had all gathered at the cobblestone plaza, resuming their pillaging and plundering of the town's valuables and prized possessions.

Their thieving ways were short-lived, as it wasn't long before the hotheaded Pokémon came crashing down from the clouds and began another round of Dragon Rushes against the adversaries. Although this time around, enemy brigands were heavily armed and ready, unwilling to go down as easily as before.

Even with Charizard's mighty and explosive strength, there were too many bandits all at once for winged reptile to keep up with. His toughened scales were now reeling back from enemy smashing attacks, who now had united all their efforts to take him down. Charizard fought hard to shake off the bandits and free himself from the rising horde, but even with all his enduring strength, he was no match for the overwhelming numbers.

Just as he was falling back, a flash of a navy-haired figure leapt from behind him and into the skirmish, managing to cut through the crowd of surrounding assailants with his blade.

"Good work, Charizard," Chrom sliced through barrage of bandits with ease, releasing Charizard from the swarm. "These brigands will be no match for both of us! Now let's finish this."

The powerful Falchion in sync with his hands, Chrom readied himself with the onslaught of enemies before him.

_"__Dancing blade...!" _(1)

Chrom dove into the crowd of bandits and cut down every one of them with one smooth motion sweep. The Pokémon, now released from his earlier bind, flew straight up back into the air, taking down enemy archers once again with his diving blitz.

_"__Arcthunder...!"_

Robin, at the rear of the fray, sent out a burst of electricity from her hands, knocking out any and all bandits in her line of vision. With three healthy combatants against low skilled grunts on the battlefield, the tide started to turn to the heroes' favor once more.

That is, before a hulking figure from the shadows came thundering into the front line and blocked Chrom's razor edge with his own bronze sword.

"Here, sheepy-sheepy!" the big-nosed barbarian drawled. "Come to the slaughter!"

"Huh," Chrom jumped back in surprise and mild annoyance. "So there are some of you lot who know how to wield a blade."

The bear of a man only spat in reply as he charged at the prince once more. The two fighters unleashed a flurry of strikes at one another, but they were too evenly matched in caliber for either to land a finishing blow.

"Charizard! Keep the rest of them at bay, this one will to take awhile," Chrom barked through gritted teeth, sidestepping out of the way before parrying the sharpened strike. Charizard responded with a demolishing Rock Smash, sending bits of rock and brick sections flying down and creating a solid divider between the duel and the rest of the ravagers.

The two continued exchanging blows, Chrom's stamina slowly wearing by the pressure from the brute's raw, endless strength, but his sheer will kept his momentum up. Soon enough, the two men bounded back after meeting clash after clash at the center. Both covered in small cuts and bruises at a stalemate, but neither willing to back down.

Suddenly, a stray arrow from the enemy sidelines was shot over the rock wall and pierced the ground next to Chrom, grazing his right calf. The bluenette stumbled back, hissing from the stinging pain.

The bandit leader, once realizing Chrom was distracted, quickly took to the advantage and charged at the unsuspecting Ylissian. Chrom managed to duck away from the bronze blade, but not without facing the punishing force of the body slam pummel into his torso. The bandit's tackle promptly knocked the wind out of Chrom and scattered Falchion a few feet away.

"Now, you're done for!" the brigand leader laughed maniacally before raising his sword to strike down the helpless royal one last time.

_"__Thoron!"_

Just as he was about to deliver the deathblow, an electrical spark ignited the air seconds before a massive bolt of lightning struck the ruthless boss through the chest. The muscled bandit fell to the ground in a resounding thud, now nothing but a charred husk in a smoky aftermath. Chrom stared in disbelief before looking up to see his savior perched above the rock wall, a magic tome steaming in hand.

"Sorry to interrupt your duel," Robin closed her book and pocketed it with a smirk, "But it looked like someone needed to tip the scales."

Chrom just shook his head as Robin made her way down the rocky landslide and helped him to his feet.

"Thanks for the save. I don't think that would have ended well if you hadn't shown up," Chrom sighed as he brushed off the dirt from his clothes. He mumbled to himself something about needing to practice more, but Robin didn't quite hear it.

"I'm glad I could help. Now it seems that there's only a few of these dastards left," Robin said, looking over to the remaining outlaws who were now scurrying out of the plaza, a raging Charizard hot on their heels.

"You're certainly no helpless victim, that much is for sure," Chrom straightened up and went over to retrieve his Falchion abandoned on the ground. "Now, let's make sure the others made it out alright."

"...nngh!"

The pig-tailed strategist wobbled forward as pain shot straight to her head, clutching her wounded temple before dropping to her knees. Chrom was largely caught off-guard, but not before catching Robin when she crumpled onto the floor.

"Robin...?!" Chrom knelt on the ground and gently shook Robin's shoulders to wake her from her spell, but any sign of consciousness was nowhere to be seen. "Speak to me! Robin...!"

"Milord!"

He snapped out of his momentary panic to see Frederick and Lissa jogging towards him; both looked rather roughed up from the fight, but nonetheless alive and unharmed.

"The civilians are out of harm's way and most, if not all the bandits, have been defea – " the armored knight abruptly stopped once upon the sight of Robin in Chrom's arms. " – is she...?"

"Oh no!" Lissa immediately exclaimed, pushing Frederick to the side. "Is Robin dead?!"

"No, no," Chrom quickly answered, getting back to his feet and carried the fainted Robin bridal-style. "She was doing just fine after we defeated the brigand leader, but suddenly passed out for no apparent reason. She's breathing, but she'll need medical attention as soon as we take care of everything in the town."

Frederick opened his mouth to argue, but then decided against it. "Understood, milord."

"Well then, it's great to hear that everyone is okay!" Pit's voice rang from above.

With that, the winged brunette hovered and landed in front of the group, Charizard following in suit. Even with his left arm lying limp to his side, Pit was his chipper self now that the heroes have won the brief encounter.

"Called emergency services and back-up once I got signal," Pit explained. "So now, the Justice Force and city fire department should be here in no time. Lucario and the escorts are just half a mile back, thankfully without a scratch."

Chrom nodded. "Thank you, Pit."

"What in blue blazes is going on here?!"

A loud voice boomed from the back along with sirens from incoming fire brigade went off. The group turned to see one of the lead officers of the Justice Force, Captain Falcon, reporting in for investigation and arrest. The city's fire and rescue units now flooded the town to extinguish the flames and care for the injured townsfolk.

From the looks of his casual attire and somewhat disgruntled expression, Falcon was presumably off-duty when called to investigate the burning mountain town. Pit whispered a "that was fast" to Charizard before Chrom interjected.

"Captain, I will explain everything that happened, but first, my friend here has fainted and needs to see a doctor right now."

Falcon studied the Iwata student for a moment, before heaving a sigh and swiftly motioning the group to follow him.

"Follow me. I'll take all of you over to medical services to get taken cared of before questioning."

* * *

><p><em>(playpause) _**SONG: **Iphone SMS Ring Tone **ARTIST: **Unknown _(stop)_

* * *

><p><strong>SONIC: <strong>(10:00 AM MMS ) (Subject: NoSubject) hey guys its Sonic! Don't forget our mandatory dorm meeting at the lounge 3 today!

**LINK: **(10:03 AM MMS) got it

**MAYOR: **(10:04 AM MMS) ok

**IKE:** (10:06 AM MMS) cool

**DIDDY KONG: **(10:08 AM MMS) k

**LITTLE MAC: **(10:12 AM MMS) kk

**PIT:** (11:35 AM MMS) just got cell service. soooo sorry guys, but I got hurt during our mission today. :'-( don't think i'll make it

**SONIC: **(12:07 PM MMS) oh jeez, sry to hear that. just send me a text and we'll meet up later. get well!

**IKE: **(12:22 PM MMS) wat happened?

**PIT: **(12:23 PM MMS) just got hit by an arrow, no biggie. At urgent care atm.

**IKE: **(12:23 PM MMS) whoa i didnt think the mission was THAT dangerous. is everyone ok?

**MAYOR: **(12:24 PM MMS) ok STOP RESPONDING TO THE GROUP TEXT I DONT CARE :^[

**PIT: **(12:25 PM MMS) wow haha ok!

* * *

><p>"...34..."<p>

Huff.

"...35..."

Huff.

"...36..."

In between Little Mac's counts, soft guitar strumming was played from the top bunk. With both Ike and Mac finished with classes, the two relaxed in their dorm room, with the champion boxer doing crunches on the side of his bed while Ike tuned and tested his acoustic guitar from above. Both focused on their leisurely tasks until a light knocking was heard from the door.

"I got it."

Little Mac hopped up from the ground and opened the door, revealing a green-hoodied Link. Link simply pointed his thumb behind him, signaling towards the elevator and staircases. Mac glanced at the clock on the wall, which read about five til 3 o'clock.

"Oh right. The meeting," he responded. Link nodded before turning towards the stairs. Behind him, others on the floor headed the same direction.

"Ike, time to go," Little Mac called out as he reached for his school jacket that hung from his desk chair. His roommate murmured "yep" in reply and jumped from his bunk after setting his guitar aside. The duo made their way down the hall and down the stairs, following the groups of boys who, too, herded towards the Wolfgang lounge.

Mayor rested his face with his palm, looking disinterested from the couch while Kirby laid out on the other side, fast asleep. Olimar quietly squeezed through the crowd, excusing his Pikmin who trailed behind him. Link leaned against the wall with arms crossed, and Ike and Little Mac both stood at the tight ends of the lounge. The growing pack of males were already sitting or standing in the lodging area, the room bubbling with casual conversations and lively small talk before the head Resident Assistant called for attention.

"Alright guys," the blue hedgehog amplified his voice with his hands to his mouth. "Huddle in real close, we're among friends, haha!"

The crowd of men scooted closer towards the base of the furnace, gathering around the three RAs.

"Hey everyone!" he began. "I know we all have busy schedules, so let's keep this short and get through this meeting as fast as possible! I'm from the bottom level A-hall, and in case you haven't gotten a chance to meet me, Sonic's the name, speed's my game!"

He gave a thumbs up, then laughed when he overheard a few chuckles, as well as one or two groans from the group.

"This here is Donkey Kong from C-hall," he gestured to his right, DK waved to the crowd, "And over here is Meta Knight from B-hall," he gestured to his left as the short, caped figure simply nodded to the group. (2)

"We're all resident assistants in Wolfgang, but for the most part, I'll be the head RA that talks to administration if anything comes up. Even still, these two are equally your leaders in their designated floor, so don't think you can just get away with anything just because I personally don't catch you! I expect you all to give the same amount of respect to these guys as you would to me, ya' hear?"

A scattered amount of nods and yes'es were heard.

"Now, with introductions out of the way, we'll jump through these rules real quick," Sonic continued, one hand on his hip, the other skimming through a given checklist. "Within all residential halls, there isn't a curfew enforced per se, but we _do_ have quiet hours that begin at 10 PM and ends by 9 AM the next morning during weekdays. As for visitor guidelines..."

Little Mac kept his eyes forward and ears open to listen to head RA go over the dorm rules, but he couldn't help his mind from wandering. Or specifically, a certain problem that has been itching at the back of his head lately, at least ever since he reunited with an old friend the week prior.

* * *

><p><em>Last Saturday night.<em>

_Most of the Fils-Aime students, both incoming or returning, were either off living it up before the new school year, or out enjoying the free food and drink at the orientation barbeque out on the field. With the weather all cleared up and warming the early evening air, this left the majority of the campus buildings and dormitory halls generally quiet and empty for the time being._

_However, there was one exception held for a certain fitness facility. _

_While fireworks lit up the starry sky and dazzled the spectators from below, Little Mac had other plans - none of which meant attending the evening spectacle. He felt a twinge of guilt, hoping the girl he met earlier at registration wasn't waiting for him to show up for the BBQ. But right now, he couldn't pass up this moment he waited a few months for. _

_Mac winced at the slight creak that arose when he opened the door ajar and peeked inside. There, in the dim-lit center, was reminiscent of his old training gym from his hometown. A little more up kept and less run down, but feelings of nostalgia flooded his senses. Various sports equipment were stowed away in the corner, with a few large bags of boxing gear strewn around. Nearby were a few cardio and weight lifting machines, with a few punching bags hung about. At the very center was an empty boxing ring, shadowed by the only source of light coming from a small office at the side. A faint news report from the radio droned from the office. _

_Upon closer look, Little Mac grinned as he saw through the window pane a familiar face in the same old red sweater, currently busying himself with some paperwork and memos on his desktop. He kept quiet until he reached for the partly open door. _

_"__Knock, knock?" _

_The old coach looked up for a moment, taking in a few seconds to register that his old prodigy was standing before him. __Despite his age, Doc eagerly leapt from his chair like a child in a candy store. _

_"Y-you..." the older man shakily pointed at Little Mac before grabbing his shoulders for a tight hug. "...you sly devil sonovagun!" _

_Both let out a hearty laugh before embracing. Even after what felt like years, the two still held on to their close knit bond. _

_"My boy...what are you doing on this side of the planet?" Doc clapped Mac's back before turning on the light switch, lighting up the rest of the fitness center. _

_"Last I heard, you were off breaking hearts of reigning champions in the circuit," the coach lightheartedly nudged his former student, "Was dreaming someday you'd help out in the new boxing club we have here – you'd be a great fit for some of the fresh recruits."_

_The boxing champion shrugged nonchalantly and leaned over to the edge of the boxing ring, hands behind his head. "Thought after I won the title in the international league, I would be up for a new challenge," he boldly stated, throwing a few jabs in the air. "So I applied for Fils-Aime, hoping to beat the best of the best." _

_He looked over at his old mentor with pride, but was a little taken aback when he was met with a more thoughtful, serious expression. _

_"__Listen kid, you have made me one the proudest I've ever been in my life, but you see, the tournament is a whole 'nother ball game altogether," Doc took out a candy bar from his pocket and took a large bite into it. "It takes more than just luck and pushing out punches to take out some the guys I've seen in this here tourney. Heck, some of 'em are on a completely different level." _

_Little Mac stood quiet for a moment, unsure what to say next. Doc Louis then patted him on the shoulder. "C'mon now, don't hear me wrong, kid. I'm not saying you should give up, not ever," Doc poked Mac square on the chest. "I'm just saying ya' gotta learn some new skills to get into the tournament. Some of 'em I can't even teach ya'."_

_Mac chuckled, feeling a little reassured, but the seed of doubt took root into his mind. Trying to brush off the lingering uncertainty, he changed the subject. _

_"__So...how'd you end up here of all places?" _

_Doc chuckled, tossing over a Snickers bar to Mac. "Let me tell you what Mac, it's a wild story..." _

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span> **

Hello once again, readers who are still around...?

Yes, I finally updated on a Saturday, woo hoo! Even though it's late at night, and it might be already Sunday for some of you readers on the east coast, but I DID IT. Like Doc says, every loss is a small victory...! On the topic of Mayor, as blunt as he is, I feel for him – there have been times I've been sent a group text, then later get 20 notifications because two people keep responding to each other. It's terrible, but unlike him, I can't say anything about it because I don't want to be mean!

*ahem*

Onto other news! I decided to shorten up my chapters so I can update more frequently and not...drop basically a novel on everyone every time I post a new chapter. *sweats profusely* I still feel guilty because I haven't gotten to the real meat of the story yet, but trust me, I'm setting up certain character arcs and trying to polish up the big story plot I have planned.

I have been focusing quite a bit on the Fire Emblem characters, but by next chapter, there spotlight will hit a few of the others on the rooster. I hope there's still a few people out there haven't lost interest yet! If only God gave me the ability to write 10,000 words per minute, haha!

This chapter I did rely a bit heavily on some in-game dialogue from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_, but I made a number of changes. This chapter will probably be the last time I will use a few lines of in-game dialogue (I did want to be close and faithful to a few of the in-game events), so look forward to original content. Also, this is the first time I have written an action scene, so if anyone has any comments on my writing, let me know! I'm a beginner and I willing to take advice!

Lately, I've been editing my own work, but I've been debating whether to have a beta reader or not. Sometimes writing gets better if a different set of eyes look through it. Since this is a rather last-minute update, there may be a few edits tomorrow.

**Question of the Day: **_To those who have had a beta reader, how was it and would you recommend it for a new author?_

Will look forward to the next chapter next month, **Shuushi. **

**- A. Mitsuni**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Index:<span>**

(1) "Dancing Blade" is Marth and Lucina's side special move. Since Chrom is related to both and has a similar fighting style, he would most likely hone the same ability.

(2) Each floor in Wolfgang Hall is assigned a letter: first level is A-hall, second level is B-Hall, and third level is C-hall. A resident assistant, or RA, is a trained peer leader who supervises those living in a residence hall or group housing facility. They generally will oversee the floor they are assigned to, as well as build leadership and community among dorm members, create group activities or events, and enforce dormitory rules and regulations.

**EDIT: **Wording, grammar, sentence structure. Formatting and wording. More wording and formatting.


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